With This Heart
by starrygirlb
Summary: A Gadge Love Story, plain and simple.
1. Chapter 1

_Disclaimer:__I do not own the Hunger Games. I only own my few original characters and ideas. All else belongs to Suzanne Collins and The Hunger Games Trilogy._

**Chapter 1**

**(Madge POV)**

I pull a lace trimmed handkerchief from my pocket and blot the beads of sweat from my face. Between the heat from the sun and building anxiety of reaping day, I'm practically melting into a puddle right here in the town square. I hate this. Hate how the Capitol toys with us like this every year. The fear and uncertainty in the air is so thick it's palpable. It's like this every year. Every single year.

I wring my hands together and try to listen to Effie Trinket giving her welcome speech. Ha, a welcome speech. How's that for a cherry on top of all the cruelty that is Reaping Day. Every year, same enthusiastic Effie. Same ridiculous speech. Complete with a video about the dangers of Capitol opposition. And every year they herd all of us here like cattle and force it upon us while we wait to see if the odds are in fact in our favor this reaping year.

I stiffen a little as Effie's hand swishes around in the giant glass bowl. Her fingers sifting through the hundreds of slips of paper. Not mine. Please not mine. I silently pray to myself. It's the same prayer every girl here is silently praying at this very moment. Odds are it won't be mine. I don't have very many slips in there. But even one slip is enough to fill my stomach with anxiety.

"Primrose Everdeen"

I cringe. My breath catches in my throat. That wasn't my name so I should be relieved but I'm not. Not sweet Prim. Not her. She's too young. Too innocent. She'll never survive the games. My thoughts are swirling as I try to make sense of why this poor girl should have to be reaped and then suddenly there's commotion. Shouting. Peacekeepers rushing towards someone. Who? I can't see through the crowd. As I crane my neck to see, I hear a voice shout out.

"I volunteer! I volunteer!"

It's Katniss. Prim's sister. And she just did the unthinkable. She just took Prim's place. That never happens. No one expected it. It's allowed. The Capitol allows for volunteers. But it just never happens. Not here, not in District 12.

I watch in horror as she slowly climbs the steps up to the stage. Effie cackles on about how exciting it is to get a volunteer but I tune her out. All I can do is watch and try to hold it together. Katniss was my friend. Well, sort of my friend. She's so protective of her little sister that in a way I suppose it isn't a surprise that she's volunteered. What else would she do?

As the commotion dies down I'm drawn back to attention as Effie fishes another slip out of the bowl. And even though it's a boy's name this time, my stomach still flip flops in the instant before she reads the name into the microphone.

"Peeta Mellark."

Again my heart sinks and I cringe. Not kindhearted Peeta. He's so gentle and quiet. I don't know him well but I do know him. And I know that he too will never survive the games. He doesn't strike me as a fighter.

The rest of the Reaping ceremony blurs passed as I try to think of what I want my last words with Katniss to be. After the ceremony, they always have a brief hour of visitation for friends and family to say goodbye to the tributes. I'll go and talk to her. I have too. But what do I say? Do I wish her luck? Do I hug her? And how will she be? What could she possibly be feeling right now?

As soon as we're dismissed, I quickly make my way to the third floor of the Justice Building where they hold the tribute's visitations. Right away, without asking, I can tell which line is forming for Peeta and which is for Katniss. Peeta's from town and is very well liked and so lots of friends are already waiting outside his door. Katniss, well, she's a different story. While most everyone knows of her, very few actually know her. Her only family is her mother and her little sister Prim. As for friends, well, there's just Gale Hawthorne. He's her best friend. I don't see him though. Surely he'll come and say goodbye, right?

I nod at the peacekeeper stationed outside her door and he opens it, allowing me entry. I go in and the door quickly shuts behind me with a thud.

"Katniss?" I timidly call out. She's here. Standing over at the window, facing out.

"You didn't have to come." She mumbles.

"I wanted to. I needed to tell you how brave you are." I explain. I still have no clue what to say to her right now but brave seems like a good thing to say.

"Brave?" She echos as she turns and looks at me.

"Yes. You did a very admirable and brave thing today." I say again.

She laughs. A delirious kind of laugh. Perhaps an exasperated one. "I certainly feel anything but brave." She admits.

"I want you to take this with you. As your token." I tell her as I pull my pin from my dress. It's a gold mockingjay pin that once belonged to my Aunt. I doubt Katniss owns any sort of valuable that could be a token she could bring into the arena with her. Maybe giving her mine will allow her some sort of comfort.

"Madge, I can't take that." She says shaking her head.

"It'll help remind you of home." I tell her, ignoring her protest as I reach over and pin it to the thin, pale blue fabric of her dress. I don't know what else to say and I don't want to monopolize all her time so I quickly lean over and embrace her in a light hug. Normally, I'd never hug her but in this moment, it just felt right. And then I leave before either of us can speak another word. Tears sting hot in the corners of my eyes as I hurry from the room. I don't look back. I can't let myself do that, it would hurt too much.

I see that Katniss now has a small line waiting. Mrs. Everdeen and Prim. The Hawthorne family, minus Gale. I nod in their direction and fight to hold back my tears as I hurry passed them. I wonder where Gale is? He's her closest friend. He can't let her leave without saying goodbye. He just can't do that to her. I glance up at the clock that hangs above the marble staircase. There's still time. He could still make it.

I look over at Peeta's line. It's still long. Looks as if he's in with his family now. It's terrible to imagine what they all must be feeling right now. I decide not to wait in Peeta's line since he still has so many waiting and since time is so limited as it is. He and I weren't close, just town acquaintances. The proper thing to do would be to allow his actual friends the time they need with him.

As I make my way down the staircase I pass Gale. Our eyes meet but only for a moment. We don't speak but that isn't unexpected. He and I aren't friendly with one another. I've never really understood what his reasons were, but he's always seemed annoyed by my presence. On the few occasions he has spoken to me, it was for business transactions only. He and Katniss, they both helped provide for their families by trading and selling things they hunted or collected out in the woods beyond the district fence. Occasionally, that would include selling things to my family at my backdoor. Aside from that, he's only ever made a handful of chiding remarks which I chose to ignore. I watch as he makes his way up to the visitation and then loose sight of him. At least he came to say goodbye to her, I think to myself.

Out of the Justice Building, I make my way towards home. My father, being the Mayor, our house is situated up on a hill, overlooking the town square. It's the largest, most elaborate home in all the district. It's also the loneliest, though I can't imagine many others view it that way. No, I think that's mostly just my opinion. With my father's responsibilities, he's never around. I usually only see him in passing or at events. My mother, well, she's there but she's very ill and has been bedridden most all of my life. Most days, she's so ill that I can't even go into her room and see her. On her really good days, which are far and few between, I sit in a chair by her bedside while she rests. The only others in my house are employees. A housekeeper, Glennis, who handles the cleaning and the cooking as well as a groundskeeper, Charlie, who maintains the property and gardens. Both of them are perfectly kind to me but they don't make up for the family I often wish I had.

The other regular visitors in our house are citizens of the Capitol, here on business or for events such as this afternoon's reaping. And given the choice, I'd much prefer to be lonely than have any of them as company. There awful. Every one of them, just plain awful. But, I never have the choice. And when they're here, I must always be a shining example of a District 12 citizen. Always. That means pretending I care about the Capitol. Acting as if I'm interested in what these visitors have to say or want to do. I dread each and every visit. I pause on the path that leads up to my house. I honestly can't handle the thought of being around any Capitol people right now. And they're likely watching other reapings on the viewing box in our front parlor which I can't deal with at the moment. Not when people I care about are preparing to head into an arena where they'll be forced to fight for their very lives. But where else can I disappear to?

I spin on my heel and head back towards town. Shopping is all I can think of. I don't feel like shopping but it at least gives me an excuse to be out of the house. If anyone questions where I've been, I can always say something stupid like I wanted a new outfit to celebrate our districts very first volunteer. It's absurd that anyone would ever do that but Capitol people tend to be very materialistic so I'm certain they'd believe it.

I make my way over to the small row of shops in town. 12 isn't a large district and and it most certainly isn't a wealthy one. We only have the minimums here. One shoe store. One clothing store. One jewelry store. One bakery. One grocery store. All of them small with very little selection. Being a district of little wealth, stores here struggle to stay open as most people cannot afford much beyond necessities. I however, am an exception. I have plenty of money at my disposal. And that constantly leaves me racked with guilt. It seems so unfair that I should have excess when so many in our district have nothing. Especially when I think about how little those who live in the Seam have.

I enter the clothing store and the bell on the door jingles, announcing my entry. Alice appears from the back of the shop. She's in my grade in school though I wouldn't consider her a friend. Just another town acquaintance. Her family owns the clothing shop and she often works the afternoons.

"Hello Madge, what can I help you find today?" She asks as she approaches me.

I notice her eyes are a little red, as if she's been crying. Perhaps over Peeta. I know all the shop owners are close with each other so it's likely they were friends. I don't feel as if I know her well enough to ask or mention it though so instead I just plaster on a smile. "Just browsing. Have you gotten anything new in since I was here last?" I ask as I run my fingers over the fabric of a dress.

"These dresses came yesterday. The blue would be pretty for you." She answers as she walks over to a rack and holds up a blue floral sundress.

I browse the racks, making small talk with Alice as I shop. Not truly being in a mood to shop, I don't really see anything I want to buy. I don't want to go home empty handed though, just in case my absence was noticed so I end up buying a few new dresses. Even though I didn't really want or need the dresses, it makes me feel good to purchase them since I know it helps keep the shop open if they're making money.

Outside, I see the sun is just beginning to set. That means I probably need to get home for dinner. Anytime the Capitol guests are here, we have fancy dinners in their honor, at which, my presence is required, not optional.

I sigh and begin heading home. I figure if I can slip in the back entrance and use the service stairs, I can slip into my room unnoticed and buy myself a little more alone time before dinner. And I'm right, I slip in completely unbeknownst to any of the guests I hear laughing and making a ruckus in the front of the house.

Alone in the privacy of my room, I lie down on my bed and close my eyes. Don't go crying just yet Madge. No excuse in the world is going to make up for red eyes. And red eyes scream of rebellion. Nope, I can't cry yet. Right now I have to be pretty and pleasing and nothing short of being a Capitol supporter.

I let out yet another sigh and sulk over to my closet. May as well make myself look presentable. I change into a fresh dress and reapply all the makeup I sweated off earlier and run a brush through my hair. A sprits of perfume and I suppose I'm all set. One deep breath and I head back downstairs, this time using the phony smile I've been playing all my life.

"There she is! We were wondering where you'd disappeared to after the ceremony!" An annoying Capitol woman with orange colored hair muses loudly as I enter the dining room.

"Oh I didn't go far. Just needed to fix myself up a bit is all." I reply as I take my seat at the table.

"Well, I'm just dying to know what you think about all the excitement today." She continues as she takes the seat next to me.

"Excitement?" I ask, not sure I understand.

"Your very first volunteer of course! Don't you find it thrilling?"

Of course that's what she meant! I should've know that without asking. I'm slipping with my pretending, I've got to do better. "Oh that? Yes of course. Who would've ever expected that to happen?" I answer in mock wonderment.

"It'll be the talk of the whole games. Everyone will be watching to see how this girl does! I must say though, she's terribly frail looking. I hope she doesn't disappoint us all being all talk and no game."

"Oh I think she might surprise you. She may be thin but I think her spirit's pretty tough." I comment as I push my food around my plate.

"Do you know her?" Another Capitol woman asks leaning in, suddenly joining our conversation.

I'm not sure which serves me better. For me to know her or not know her. I should've thought about this already. Simple. Go with a simple answer. "She's the same grade as me in school." I tell them, hoping that will be satisfying enough for their curiosity. It isn't that I don't want to admit friendship with her, I just really don't want to have to answer questions about her. If they find out we were sort of friends, in any capacity, they'll latch onto it and I'll have to spend the rest of the evening answering question after question about her. And I don't think I can handle that.

Luckily, that is enough to satisfy them for now. I try to keep my mouth full of food through the rest of the dinner, talking only when absolutely necessary. Mostly I just chew and nod a lot. After what feels like a lifetime, finally they head to the parlor for after dinner drinks and I can excuse myself to bed.

Upstairs in my room, I peel off the itchy cocktail dress and slip into my nightgown. Out on my balcony, I sit in my rocking chair and pull my knees up to my chest as I stare out over the quiet of the town. The stage is still up, as is the viewing screen. It's only been a few hours but already, it feels like the reaping was a lifetime ago. Katniss is on the train now, headed straight for the Capitol. I wonder what they'll do to her in the Capitol. Every year they makeover the tributes before presenting them to all the districts. She'll hate that. Being waxed and bleached. Picked at and painted up. I almost laugh to myself thinking about it. Katniss never was a girly girl.

I sit out there, alone with my thoughts for hours until I finally feel exhausted enough to sleep. As I finally get up to go in and go to bed, my eyes catch sight of something I hadn't noticed earlier. I move closer to the railing of the balcony and squint trying to make it come into focus. And when it does, I'm a little shocked. Over on the steps of the stage, sits Gale Hawthorne. He's just sitting there. All alone, staring off into nowhere. My heart aches a little for him, knowing he must really be hurting. He must be missing her terribly already if he's sitting there like that. He isn't one to linger around town. It's known to everyone how he and Katniss were best friends. Some people even assumed there was more than friendship there. Considered them to be a couple. That part wasn't true though. While most girls, admittedly myself included, find Gale to be incredibly attractive, I think Katniss always saw him as the older brother type. She really never seemed to talk about romance at all but she had voiced annoyance at all the speculating about her relationship with Gale. And then there were all the rumors about Gale having lots of girlfriends. Lots of girls had stories about making out with him or more. If Katniss really was his girlfriend, she'd never stand for that. She'd never be with a guy who was with a different girl every night. She just wouldn't.

I wonder how he's going to handle losing her? And how he'll handle having to watch it out on the viewing screen in front of everyone. If I was as close to her as he is, I'm not sure I'd be able to watch without falling completely apart.

Suddenly, he stands and looks right towards my house. I step back into the shadows. Had he seen me staring at him? Did he know I was watching? I slip back inside my room and pray that he didn't. It's late and dark, surely he didn't.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

**(Gale POV)**

God, Catnip. What am I gonna do without you here? I wipe the tears from my cheek but it's useless since more just fall in their place. How can this happen? How in the world did Prim's name get pulled? One slip. The girl had one damn slip in that bowl! And of course Katniss had to volunteer. I mean, what else was she supposed to do, huh? She had to volunteer. It wasn't a choice for her. I'd of done the exact same for Rory.

But now, I've got two extra mouths to feed. Two more people I'm responsible for. And it isn't that I don't want to take care of them for her, I do. I just have no idea how to make that happen. I'm stretched so thin as it is. Hell, half the time I can't feed myself once I've fed my own family and now it…well now it's just even more impossible.

And Katniss. What the hell's gonna happen to her? I want her to win. I hope that she can. But I'm also realistic. I've watched the games play out on the town screen for years now. I've seen the brutal fate that awaits her inside that arena. And she has too. She's fully aware of what's waiting for her there. But again, what choice did she have? She's tough. She'll do her best, I know she will. I just worry that it won't be enough. Not nearly enough.

I said goodbye to her at the visitation. Even hugged her which isn't our style at all. Despite the rumors, we've always just been friends. But damn, saying goodbye to her…it was rough. Afterwards, I'd wanted to get out in the woods where I could breath and not feel like the world's caving in on me. Got all the way over to the fence and wouldn't you know the damn thing's turned on. So I went to the meadow for awhile but my restlessness got the better of me after a while and I ended up aimlessly walking around town. It's late so the streets are pretty much empty. Eventually, I ended up here. Sitting on the steps of the stage in town square, alone with my thoughts. Alone with my fears. And I hate it.

I'm gonna have to find a job. It's the only way I'll ever be able to make the ends meet. I'd promised Katniss that I'd take care of her family. I won't let her down on that. I can't break that promise. I'll just have to find some work. I'm too young still to work in the mines so that's out of the question. Most all the businesses in town are family run only and even if they weren't, I'm not sure I'd be a candidate for hire. Not with my reputation. But what? There's got to be something. Odd jobs maybe. Maybe if I can get enough of those lined up, maybe, just maybe I can keep everyone fed and clothed. Right now, it's the only hope I have.

I stand and get ready to head home when I notice something. Up on the hill, at the Mayor's house. Someone's watching me. From a balcony. It's too dark to make out who it is. They see me and dart into the shadows. Paranoia shoots through me and I freeze. Who was watching me? And how long were they there without me seeing them? And why?

I head towards the path to the Seam but I keep a watch on the house as long as I can. Whoever it was, whoever was watching, they don't step back out into the moonlight. If they're still watching, it's from inside the house.

Maybe it was nothing. Maybe I'm so tired I imagined it. My mind playing tricks on me. And even if I didn't imagine it, what does it really matter? It wasn't as if I was doing anything wrong. Just sitting on the steps of the stage thinking. No harm in that. No laws being broken. Still, I can't shake the eerie feeling that comes with knowing I was being watched. All the way home to the Seam, I keep checking behind me, making sure no one's following me. And they aren't.

I'm up before the sun the next morning in the hopes that I can slip out into the woods and set some snares. No such luck. I hear the buzzing of the fence from several feet away. Annoyed, I grab a stick and angrily throw it at the fence. Stupid move, it hits, sparks fly and the stick sizzles as it falls to the ground. I go over and stomp it out with my boot. Certainly don't wanna go starting a Seam fire.

So what now? I sigh aloud as I look around. The miners are getting up, a few have already begun to head towards the entrance to the mines. I'm not sure what time the merchants in town start working in their shops. Perhaps they start early too. May as well go see if I can find some work.

In town, I see that the lights are on in the bakery. I hesitate to knock though. The baker's son was the boy tribute reaped yesterday. Might not be the best time to go bothering the family. But on the other hand, with him gone, maybe that leaves them short handed in the bakery. I don't know squat about baking stuff but I could clean or something. Still, is it too soon to ask them for work? Their son hasn't even been gone a full day yet. Too soon. I decide to pass for now. If I can't find something else, maybe I'll come back tomorrow.

I do knock on a few doors of shops. Most turn me away. Either they haven't got the work or they haven't got the money to pay me to do it. Or possibly they don't want Seam trash working for them. I score a one time quick job of fixing a gutter at the butcher shop. Pays in the form of ham hocks. Not exactly what I'd hope for but I'm sure Ma can use it in some soup. And at this point, I'm grateful for anything I can get.

Back at home, I find my family all awake and getting their day started.

"Morning." My mother says as I walk in.

"Got you something. Think you can use it in a soup or something?" I ask as I hand over the cloth wrapped ham hocks.

She opens them and nods. "Yes, I can. Thank you. How'd you get them?"

"Fixed a gutter for the butcher." I tell her as I grab my bowl of mush. It's technically oatmeal but we have to water it down to stretch it out so much that I've long since just considered it mush. It's tasteless and well, mushy. But it's temporarily filling. And it's all we've got around here.

"You think she'll make it back Gale?" Vick asks me from across the table. Rory shoves him for it.

"Katniss is a tough girl. I hope she can." I tell him as I glare at Rory for shoving him. It's only natural he'd be worried. Katniss is practically family around here and of course he'd be looking for reassurance that she's gonna make it. I wish I had more hope to offer him.

He nods but doesn't look to be any more comforted or reassured. Rory doesn't say anything, just pushes his mush around. He's worried to. I know he is. Just won't admit it.

At school, I get the expected whispers and looks. Everyone wanting to see how I'm dealing with her being gone. No one seems to have the balls to actually ask me though. Not that I want them too. Still, the whispering and shit…it gets old real fast. So, I figure the best way to get them to shut up is to just be the Gale they all know me to be. At lunch I plop myself right down at a table full of girls and turn on the charm. Flirting is one of my best talents. Seriously, it's like I have a natural knack for it or something. It's funny to me how girls, be they from town or Seam, fall at my feet when I feed them a few lines. And it works. I rarely ever spend a Saturday night alone. Nope, not me. I always manage to find the company of some pretty girl or another. It's never serious though. I'm just having fun. I'm 17. That's what I'm supposed to be doing.

At lunch I catch wind of a Seam party that's happening tonight. Good. That'll be a welcome distraction from the games and the viewings. Ugh, the viewings. They'll start tonight and continue every single stupid day until the end of the games. I hate them and if they weren't absolutely mandatory, you'd never catch me there. But they are mandatory so I'll go. This will be the worst year yet though. This year, my best friend is the one I'll watch fighting on that screen. That damn screen.

After school lets out, I make my way over to the meadow and towards the fence. Need to see if it's on or not. I'm not even close when a voice calls out to me.

"It's on. The Capitol guests are here until tonight so it stays on until they leave."

I look over in the direction it came from and to my surprise find the Mayor's daughter sitting in the tall grass, book in lap. I stare at her for a minute. We aren't friends. Sure, we know each other but we're so drastically different from one another that never in this lifetime could I picture being friends. Katniss seems to like her a bit but I'll never understand why. She isn't like us. She's different. A straight up princess if you will.

"What?" Is all I say back to her. How does she know what I'm doing? How did I not see her sitting over there?

"The fence. It's on until late tonight. That's what you were going to check on wasn't it?" She asks in loud whisper.

"How would you know what I'm about to do?" I snort at her and then turn, walking away before she can say anything else to me. Just talking to her makes me uncomfortable.

Since I can't get in the woods, I spend the rest of my spare time chopping wood. The stoves in the Seam houses are all wood burning and we have to always have wood on hand. I carry a cord of it over to the Everdeens. Prim comes out to thank me.

"Need me to start the fire in the stove for you?" I ask, suddenly unsure if she knows how or not. Mrs. Everdeen is here but she's always been sort of absent. Blank. Been like that ever since her husband died in the mines. If it weren't for Katniss, they'd of starved to death long ago.

"No thanks. Katniss taught me how. I can do it." She tells me.

"You guys got enough food for now?" I ask though if she says no, I don't know what I can do about it just yet.

"We're okay."

I nod. "I'll bring you some food as soon as I can. I promise."

"I know you will. Katniss said you'd take care of us." She tells me quietly.

"Hey, hang in there, alright? She's tough." I tell her as I put my hand on her shoulder, trying to comfort her. It's hard. It's so hard to feel like I should be comforting everyone when I'm struggling to hold it together myself. It's even worse when she wraps her arms around me and hugs me. Poor kid. She's practically all alone now. I pat her back, not knowing what else to say. And really, what good are my words to her right now anyways? They won't bring Katniss back. They're just words.

After leaving the Everdeen's house, I head home to get washed up before going into town to get checked in for the viewing. Today, we'll get to see replays of the reapings from the other districts and then they do a whole parade presentation sort of thing of all the tributes. That'll be all they do today.

In town, there are people everywhere, both Citizens of 12 and Capitol Citizens. It's easy to tell which are which. The Capitol folks are the ridiculous looking ones. They dress in crazy looking outfits and paint weird colors on their faces and dye their hair to match. We're talking purple haired men in velvet suits and orange haired women. How anyone could possibly want to look like that on purpose is beyond me. Looks more like a form of punishment than a freely made choice.

I spot my family, sitting up front near where the tribute families and town officials always sit. My family isn't really a tribute family but my mother likely sat us there to show support for and for Prim. I'll sit with them but I do wish it wasn't front and center like it is.

"Hey Gale, you coming to the party tonight?" Esper Whitlock asks as I make my way towards my seat. Her fingertips graze over my elbow and she leans in close.

"Yeah, I'll probably be around." I tell her all nonchalantly, giving her a flirtatious grin. She's a year or two younger than me but I've seen her around plenty. She's Seam like me and not afraid to make a move for what she wants.

"Well, make sure you find me for a dance or two." She tells me, running her fingertips over my arm again.

"Maybe you should be the one finding me." I continue to flirt. I wink at her and then continue on my way over to where my family is seated without looking back. I don't know if I'll actually hook up with her tonight or not but I figure it's nice to keep my options open. And again, any distraction is welcome right now. Unfortunately, the Panem Anthem begins to play signaling the start of the viewing and there's no distraction from that.

As they play the reaping footage from yesterday, I have to bite my lip to keep from swearing out loud. I knew it would be tough watching Katniss's volunteering again but it just infuriates me to no end. Prim and her one damn slip. I shake my head to myself. It just isn't right.

The parade or tributes brings forth the biggest surprise. Instead of being costumed in the standard mining outfits they usually put 12 tributes in, this year they freaking lit them on fire. Katniss was literally on fire. Like full on flames coming off her. Must be some sort of trickery with the costumes or something. But the biggest shock of all comes from Katniss herself. I watch as she does something I've never seen her do in my life. Something I don't like seeing. Not one bit. She's freaking holding hands with that baker kid. And smiling about it to boot! The viewing comes to an end and we're dismissed. I'm too pissed to talk to anyone right now so I head for the meadow, jaw clenched, ignoring the stares and whispers as I make my way through the crowd.

What would cause her to do that? She isn't a flirt. She's never been one to take an interest in dating or romance crap. And somehow she picks now to take notice of the opposite sex? And with a townie at that? What is she thinking? It's nbot the time for that! Right now, she needs to have her head on straight, have some focus. Does she not realize that she's about to fight for her life? It infuriates me.

The fence still being on only furthers my anger and I decide the only thing for me to do right now is to go blow off steam at that party which should be getting under way right about now. On the way, I stop by the Hob and get some white liquor from Sae. She gives me only a knowing look as she hands over the bottle. I spend my last bit of money to get it which in the back of my mind, I know is stupid but all I can think about right now is taking the edge off and this is the fastest way I know to do it.

I don't drink often. Just at parties and such. I'm no drunkard. I've got the bottle open and several swigs down by the time I reach the far edge of the Seam where the parties are held. We do it bonfire style down here. Make our own music. Do our own dances. Townies don't usually come. It's mostly a Seam folk kinda thing.

Right off, I find Thom and some other guys from school. They hold up their bottles in greeting, I hold mine up in return. A toast to the night and whatever it brings. An hour in and I'm feeling it good. Esper comes to mind and I go off in search of her. She's probably here by now. And if I can't find her, I'll just find someone else. Right now, just about anyone will do.

I spot Esper over with her friends, laughing and having a drink herself. Perfect, I think to myself and I start making my way over to her. I've just come up right behind her and I lean over to whisper in her ear.

"Thought you wanted to dance."

She spins around, eyes wild and full of fun. "Hey there Hawthorne."

And with that she takes my hand and pulls me towards the fire. We're dancing and I should be distracted by this girl but I'm not. Not enough anyway. For all the drinking and flirting and dancing I'm doing, I can't get Catnip out of my head. I just can't. After a few rounds with Esper, I decide to call it a night. This distraction isn't working like I thought it would and I've drunk enough to hit that sad level of drunkenness. Time for me to get outta here.

I don't bother saying goodbye to my friends, just sort of disappear off into the night leaving the sounds of the party behind me. The rest of the Seam is quiet. Sound asleep. I don't want to go home yet though so I keep walking right passed my house. My feet carry me right out to the meadow. It's dead quiet here and I can be alone with my thoughts and what's left of my liquor. I lay down in the grass, out of sight and turn back my bottle again. I keep it up until the damn thing's empty and toss it aside. I'm flat out deliriously drunk now and I still can't get her off my mind. I close my eyes but the tears fall anyway.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

**(Madge POV)**

I can't sleep. I'm too over-run with emotion following the viewing today. For the first time I can remember, the tributes for 12 stole the whole show in the presentation of tributes. Usually, it's as if no one even notices our people. Plain, boring mining garb. But not this year. This year, their stylists have really outdone themselves. When the chariot rode out carrying Peeta and Katniss, they had flames shooting off their costumes! And it was all anyone could notice, myself included. And that starts us off on a fantastic foot because right now, Katniss and Peeta need to gain as many sponsors as possible. In the arena, sponsor funds can mean the difference between winning and losing. Seeing all the buzz and excitement over how our tributes looked gives me just a smidgen of hope that maybe, just maybe, Katniss can do this. That she may be able to win and come home to 12.

Unable to stop the wheels of my mind from spinning, I decide to go for a walk. It's late and the streets are deserted, spare an occasional Peacekeeper or two. I've just started the loop around the square when I notice someone coming up from the Seam path. It's Gale. And from the way he's stumbling and swaying, I'd say he's been drinking. Drinking isn't forbidden exactly but if a Peacekeeper finds you out in public in a drunken state, you can be punished. It really all depends on the Peacekeeper's opinion. Usually, Seam people are the only ones I ever hear of being punished though.

I stop walking and watch to see where Gale's going. He goes straight into the meadow and collapses in a heap on the grass. I'm aware that Gale drinks and attends parties. The whole school is aware of this, I'm sure. But I've never seen or heard of him being this far gone. After seeing him last night, sitting on the steps of the stage and now this, I'm starting to worry about him. Perhaps he isn't taking Katniss's reaping very well. I'm not sure it's my place to worry about him since we aren't friends but at the same time, I sort of feel like I should reach out to him, to help him if I can. I scan the square for Peacekeepers. I don't see any but I know there's one or two somewhere in town.

I go into the meadow and quietly make my way towards where I saw Gale lay down. The grass is damp with dew and soaks the hem of my dress. When I come upon Gale, he's completely passed out, empty bottle beside him. And the smell of cheap liquor dances all around him. In the moonlight, I can see his cheeks are tearstained and it tugs at my heart. So he is hurting. He is missing her more than he put on at school today. I pop up from the grass and glance around again. Still no Peacekeepers. Good. And with him lying down like this, he should be able to go unnoticed. I grab the bottle and conceal it in the pocket of my dress. I need to get home quick so I can dispose of this and get something to help him with the hangover he'll surely have in the morning.

I dart back to my house, taking the back entrance and go straight upstairs to the guest rooms our Capitol guests recently vacated. I toss the bottle in the wastebasket and open the medicine cabinet looking for the medicine I'm sure will be in here. And I'm right. I find several of the miracle purple pills that I've seen Capitol guests rely on after an evening of partying. A couple of these after an evening of heavy drinking and you'll wake up refreshed and new the next morning. If I can get Gale to take these, he won't be so sick tomorrow.

As I'm making my way back downstairs, I notice that I've tracked wet, dirty footprints all through the house. I'll have to clean that up when I get back. Before I slip out of the kitchen I grab a bottle of water I find Gale out in the meadow, just where I left him, still knocked out. I crouch down next to him and pull my handkerchief out. I wet it with water from the bottle and then gently press it to Gale's face. He stirs but doesn't fully come too. I pull the purple pills from my pocket and tilt his head up slightly. He groggily, drunkenly opens his eyes, and I panic for a split second until I realize he's so drunk, he can't even see who I am. I press the pills against his lips.

"Here, swallow these. They'll help you feel better." I whisper.

His lips part and I let the pills fall into his mouth. I hold the water up to his lips and whisper for him to drink. He swallows it without choking and then his eyes close again. I lay his head back against the grass and watch for a moment. I'm not sure I want to be here when he wakes up but I also don't know if he should be out here alone like this. I debate for a moment and then decide it would be best to just leave him. Once the pills get into his system, he should wake up soon and feel good as new. And I doubt he'd want me around when he does. I re-wet the handkerchief and lay it across his forehead. I'm not sure if that helps with drunkenness but it always makes my mother's headaches better so I figure it can't hurt to leave it there.

I leave him and head back home to clean up the mess I made on the floors. The last thing I want is anyone questioning what I've been up to. Later, as I lay in my bed, all I can think about is how sad he looked with those tearstains on his cheeks. Seeing him so broken over Katniss leaving shows me that there's a much deeper side to him than he would want people to know. And it leaves me intrigued.

**(Gale POV)**

I wake up at sunrise and it takes me a few minutes to get a grasp on my surroundings. I'm lying in the meadow. The meadow. How'd I end up here? I came here after leaving the party I think. Yeah, I did. Must've passed out here and slept all night. My hand goes to my face and pulls off a white fancy cloth. I have no idea where this came from. I sit up carefully, sure I'll feel woozy after all my drinking. Much to my surprise, I don't. In fact, I feel damn near great. Albeit a little damp from the dew on the grass but other than that, I feel like a new man. Well, my memory of last night's events is a little fuzzy but physically, I feel great. I look around me for the empty bottle I tossed aside but can't find it. Had I thrown it over the fence? No, no. That's not right. I definitely tossed it aside next to me in the grass. I stare down at the cloth in my hand again. It's a girl's handkerchief. And then it starts to come back to me a little. Little bits only though. A girl. There was a girl here with me last night. Esper maybe? That doesn't seem right but maybe she followed me when I left the party? I rub my forehead and try to remember. She gave me water. I remember water. And something else. Food? Did she give me food? No. It must have just been the water. God, I've gotta be careful how carried away I get with my drinking. This is ridiculous. I don't know how in the hell I'm not hungover right now. I decide the handkerchief must belong to Esper so I shove it in my pocket to return to her later.

I head towards the fence and realize it's actually off for a change and I figure I have enough time to slip into the woods and set a few new snares before school. Man, I can't believe how good I feel. This is crazy! What the hell was in that water Esper gave me?

After my snares, I swing by my house to get cleaned up. My mother gives me a look that lets me know I'm asking for it by staying out all night. I shrug and mouth "sorry" to her. She doesn't say anything else but I'll have to be sure and be home at a decent hour tonight. She's not an overbearing kinda mother but she also isn't going to let me just run wild either.

At school, I spot Esper with some of her friends and go over to thank her for taking care of me.

"Hey, I think this belongs to you." I say with a smile as I hold out the handkerchief.

She glares at it and then her eyes dart up to mine. And they could cut glass they look so pissed. "That's not mine. Perhaps it belongs to whatever girl you ditched me for last night." She spits out and then turns back to her friends.

I stand there in confusion. If it wasn't Esper, then who? I unfold the handkerchief and stare at it. It has to belong to someone. It has to be from the girl from last night. And now that I know that girl wasn't Esper, I don't know who in the world it was. I shove it back in my pocket and go to class.

At lunch, I ask my friend Thom if he saw me leave with anyone last night but I don't tell him why.

He laughs. "You left as a sorry mess of sad, drunk and lonely my man. No girls, just you."

"Really?"

"Geez Gale, how much did you have that you can't remember?"

"I think a full bottle. Woke up this morning in the meadow and the bottle was gone though so I don't know for sure."

He laughs some more and even though I know he'll give me crap for it, I continue with the story about the handkerchief. Maybe he knows who it belongs too.

"I woke up with this on my head too. But I don't know who's it is." I tell him as I hold it out for him to see. "I thought it was Esper's but she sorta set me straight on that real fast."

"You think a Seam girl like Esper carries a handkerchief?" He laughs so hard he's practically rolling in the floor.

"Well it has to belong to someone." I tell him getting annoyed at his teasing. But his words get me thinking. He is right, Seam girls wouldn't carry some frilly thing like this.

"Yeah, some townie girl."

"Shut it man." I tell him as I punch him on the shoulder and leave him laughing at my expense.

In the hallway, I lean against the wall and go over last night's events once more. I was drinking. A lot. I was with Esper but ditched her and left the party alone, still drinking. I went to the meadow and crashed. And that's where it gets unclear. I do remember a girl being there, telling me to swallow something and this handkerchief is hers. And she must've taken my bottle. And she must be from town. The bell rings and people flood into the halls.

And then it hits me. There's only one person it could be. I see her. Coming right this way. And I don't like it. I wait for her to pass me and I reach out, grab her arm and pull her into the janitor's closet.

"Is this yours?" I demand as I hold the handkerchief in front of her wide-eyed face.

She nods and with a shaky hand reaches up and takes it. I'm annoyed it's her but I don't want to scare her and seeing her shake makes me tone it down a bit. I let go of her arm and lower my voice.

"What exactly happened?" I ask.

"You…you were drunk. You passed out and …and I gave you some Capitol medicine so you wouldn't get sick." Her timid voice tells me.

So that's what I swallowed and why I feel so great today. She gave me Capitol meds! "Why would you do that? We aren't friends."

She stares at me for a minute before answering. "You just looked like you needed help is all. I'm sorry if I was mistaken." She says with a quivering chin and then she pushes passed me.

And now I feel like a real ass. I went and made her cry for God's sake. And for what? Because I hate knowing that the district princess came to my rescue last night? When I'd thought it was Esper, I'd been ready to show my gratitude but because it was Madge Undersee, I'm pissed? I shake my head to myself knowing I'll have to apologize later. I don't know who I'm more annoyed with. Her for being the one to help me or me for being such an ass about it.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

**(Gale POV)**

I slip through the now quiet fence and quietly dart into the woods. While being out here would seem unnerving for some, for me, it's the calmest place I know. Just about the only place I can find to clear my head. Even now, as my main purpose for coming out here is to clear game from my snares, I find my mind starting to sort out all the things I found complicated earlier.

I'd been trying all afternoon to figure out the easiest way to apologize to Madge Undersee for making her cry. Deep down, I knew I was wrong for the way I'd yanked her into the closet and practically yelled at her. I didn't want to talk to her in the hallway all out in the open because well, talking to Madge feels like talking to President Snow himself in a way. She's too tightly attached to the Capitol for me to be seen having conversations with. How Katniss managed to be friends with her, I'll never understand. And nearly yelling at her about the whole thing was partially out of my own embarrassment over the whole thing and partly just because just knowing she was the girl who helped me, annoyed me. What makes her think I'd want her help? But now, in hindsight, I know I overreacted to the whole thing. Seeing her chin quiver and her eyes well up with tears was about all it took to make me see that I was probably overreacting. And now, out here where I can clear my head, I know I definitely made too big a deal about it. Her intentions seemed innocent enough. And while I may not be comfortable becoming her pal or anything, I certainly don't want to be the person making her miserable either.

So nothing to do now except apologize. Then everything will be straight on my end and my conscience can breathe easy. After I clear my game haul and reset my snares, I look for the strawberry bushes. I know that Madge likes them because Katniss and I've sold to them to her before. If I bring her berries, perhaps it will show her I didn't mean any harm earlier. Luck must be on my side today because I find the bushes heavy with ripe fruit. I pick as many as I can, enough for Madge and enough for my family and the Everdeens. Usually, I sell the berries I find but I figure they'll be a nice treat for everyone.

Back on the other side of the fence, I swing by my house and drop off all my game and most of the berries. I wash up and get changed for the viewing. I take two handfuls of the berries and wrap them up in a clean cloth to take to Madge. If I hurry, I can get these to her before the viewing starts.

I'll never be one to go straight up to the front door of the mayor's house. Just wouldn't seem right to me. So I go through the meadow and cut through the back of the Mayor's property, heading for the back door. It's where Katniss always brings us when we have a sale to make.

Just as I'm coming up the back steps though, strawberries in hand, the screen door swings open and Madge comes rushing out. Her eyes wide at the sight of me. I stop and open my mouth to speak but she cuts me off.

"Hi, thanks for coming by to walk me to the viewing." She says, almost too loudly as she loops her arm through mine and starts leading us around the side of the house towards town.

Once we're on the side of the house she stops walking, glances each way and then looks at me. "What do you think you're doing? Are you trying to get yourself arrested?" She whispers giving me an incredulous look.

"Arrested? No, I was coming to bring you these." I whisper back in confusion as I hold out the parcel of berries, the juices now starting to seep through.

Her hands grab them and quickly she shoves them into her dress pocket. "We have Capitol guests! You can't come selling berries here right now!" She whispers through clenched teeth.

"I thought they left…the fence was off." I try to explain as the reality of what could've just happened hits me. If one of the Capitol guests had come to the door or been nearby and seen the berries, I could've easily been arrested. Strawberries don't grow on this side of the fence so it would've been obvious I'd been in the woods.

"Two more just arrived this afternoon. You're lucky you didn't get trapped outside the fence! You're going to need to be more careful." She explains and then turns, continuing on her way towards the viewing.

I stand here like an idiot for a moment and then hurry after her.

"Thank you." Is all I manage to say before we're in town and surrounded by everyone trying to get checked in and she slips off into the crowd.

I get myself checked in and then search the crowd for her. She just helped me again. And after I was so cruel earlier today. Why would she do that for someone who was so mean to her? I shake my head to myself. I don't get it. I'm beyond grateful for what she just did and all, but I just don't get it. And it leaves me wanting to talk to her, to find out more about why she keeps helping me. I spot her but she's busy talking with what appears to be the guests from the Capitol. No way I'm going to go try and talk to her right now.

I take my seat up front by my family but can't stop myself from looking over at her. It's as if I'm intrigued with her suddenly and I can't explain it. At one point during the viewing she notices me, our eyes meeting briefly before she looks away. After that, she doesn't look my way again. At least not when I'm looking her way.

"Who ya staring at?" Rory leans over and whispers towards the end of the viewing.

"Nobody." I whisper back and elbow him, turning my gaze back towards the screen. I can't believe I'm sitting here having difficulties not staring at Madge freaking Undersee.

After the viewing, I see Madge is still with her Capitol guests so I decide it's best to leave her alone. I head home with my family and get busy cleaning the game I brought home today. I was fortunate enough that from today's haul, I can feed my family and the Everdeens for the next two days. Three if we really stretch it. We won't eat like kings or anything, but we will eat. My Ma makes a mean squirrel stew and the rabbit I caught will be just enough for the Everdeens. And both families will get fresh strawberries. Hopefully, the Capitol guests will be on their way soon and the fence will turn off again so I can get back out in the woods for more hunting.

I drop the cleaned rabbit and berries over at the Everdeens and as I'm walking back home, I notice Madge. She's never in the Seam. What is she doing here? Alone. At night. She looks so out of place.

"Madge?" I call out to her as I approach her from behind, not wanting to frighten her.

She turns and looks relieved to see me. Relief? Yes, that most definitely was the look of relief on her face.

"I was just trying to find your house." She says as I come up to her.

"My house? Why?" I ask and I know the surprise is evident in my voice.

"Yes. I needed to bring you this." She says as she pushes several coins into my hand.

Money? She's bringing me money? I stare at it in my hand, not understanding what's going on. When I look up to ask her what it means, I see that she's already begun walking away.

"Wait!" I call after her and jog up behind her.

"Was it the wrong amount?" She asks and starts reaching into her pockets again.

I hold my hand out to stop her. "No, I don't understand. What's this for?"

"The strawberries of course. I didn't have any money on me earlier and then I had to wait until after dinner to slip out of the house." She explains.

And then it hits me. I never told her the berries weren't for sale, that they were actually an apology of sorts. I shake my head and hold the money back out to her. "No, I wasn't selling them. I didn't get a chance to explain but they were for you, to apologize for being so harsh earlier, at school."

She blinks in surprise and hesitates as if she doesn't know what to say. "Oh, I just assumed you were coming to sell them." She says quietly.

I can tell she's surprised, it's clear on her face. I halfway smile at her. "I am sorry. I didn't mean to upset you." I say. Standing here, in the moonlight, I catch myself staring at her again. I always knew she was pretty but something about her now; something about her just won't let me look away. And I can't help but smile at her.

"It's okay, I shouldn't have intruded on you in the meadow. I understand." She says quietly. She looks nervous. I must still make her uncomfortable.

"No, it's not okay. I was an ass and I just wanted to say I was sorry. That's why I was bringing you the berries."

She gives me a gentle smile back and says "Apology accepted. And thank you for the strawberries."

"Good." I say, still smiling at her.

"Well, goodnight." She tells me politely with a hint of a smile.

"Night." I tell her as I go to continue on towards home and she goes her way. I've only taken a few steps when I just have the urge to look back at her once more. I glance back over my shoulder and notice she's standing there, chewing her bottom lip and looking confused. Crap, I bet she's lost. Seam roads aren't marked and if you aren't careful, it's easy to get turned around. Every single house looks exactly the same too. Nighttime only makes it worse with no street lights and all.

I turn and go back over to her. "How about I walk you home? I was heading that way anyhow." I offer, trying not to embarrass her by pointing out that she's lost.

"You were heading into town?" She asks me skeptically.

"To the meadow." I tell her with a shrug as I start leading her down the path towards town. "Figure we may as well walk together."

"Well, if you're sure it isn't any trouble." She says falling into step with me and relief once again covering her face. "You go to the meadow a lot, hmm?" She asks as we walk.

"Yeah. Makes for a good quiet thinking place if I can't get out." I don't say out where because I know she knows what I mean though I don't feel comfortable saying it out loud.

"I could see that. It is a peaceful spot." She agrees, nodding her head a bit.

"So, how long are the new Capitol guests in town for?" I ask, mostly just to make conversation but a little bit out of wanting to know when the fence will be off again.

"They'll be here for a few days. Until the after the start of the games. They're reporters. They want to see how the district reacts to the tribute scores and interviews and the start of the games."

"Oh, so til the end of the week?" I ask, not able to hide my disappointment. Thoughts of starving my family and Katniss's too start flooding my mind instantly.

She glances over at me. "Is it hard taking care of Katniss's family too?" She asks her voice timid, as if she's not sure how I'll feel about her asking.

I sigh. "It's not easy. But I'm gonna make it work. I promised."

"I don't know if it helps at all, but there's a dinner planned for the night of the interviews. It's for the families of the tributes. So, that will be one night you won't have to worry about providing for them." She offers up, voice still tinged with shyness.

It does help. A lot. It doesn't help my family at all but it does get the Everdeens fed. "That's good to know, thanks for that." I tell her. I can't get over how easy it is talking to her right now. It's like she's almost normal. I don't feel like I'm chatting with a townie or a Capitol girl at all.

She nods. We walk in silence for a little while and then she laughs a little.

"What's so funny?" I ask, curious.

"I was just thinking how Katniss wouldn't believe it if she saw the two of us walking and talking all civil with each other like this."

"She'd never believe it." I laugh back. And she wouldn't either. "It's not terrible though." I add as an afterthought.

"You expected having a conversation with me to be terrible?" She asks.

I shrug. "I dunno. Just easier than I thought I guess."

"Definietly." She agrees, admitting that she herself is a little surprised at how easy this feels.

We arrive at the edge of town and come to a stop. Now it's awkward. I feel like I should walk her all the way home but she knows how to get there from here and I don't want to push it by insisting. Being seen with me in the Seam might be different for her than being seen with me in town.

"So, thank you. For the berries and for walking me back to town." She thanks me politely.

"No biggie. Like I said, I was heading this way anyhow." I tell her as I kick at the gravel with the tip of my boot.

"Well, goodnight." She says with the softest of smiles as she starts taking a few steps backwards towards town.

"Night." I reply, unable not to grin at her. I make my way into the meadow and plop down in the grass. And I can't stop smiling. Can't stop thinking about this gorgeous girl and how with her ever gracious ways, she's suddenly occupying my every thought.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

**(Madge POV)**

I sneak out onto my balcony being careful not to turn on my bedroom lights so I don't attract attention. Crouching down and peering through the railing, I watch as he sits there in the meadow, peacefully. Gale. That's who I can't pull my thoughts and eyes away from. He'd shown me the rarest of sides of himself this evening, complete with apology and his company as I walked back to town. In truth, I'd somehow gotten myself turned around in the Seam and thankfully, he'd offered to walk me back to town. I kind of think he could tell I was lost but if so, he was polite enough not to point it out. As we walked home, I'd thought to myself how comical it was for the two of us to be getting along, walking and talking as if we were friends. I'd even snickered aloud and then had to explain what I found so funny. He'd agreed and laughed along with me. Katniss wouldn't believe it even if she could've been here to see it.

There was something different about him that I noticed tonight though I can't put my finger on it. It was as if he was just meeting me for the very first time. And this afternoon, at the viewing, he'd stared at me practically nonstop, only turning his gaze when I happened to stare straight back at him. I'd assumed it was because I'd forgotten to pay him for the berries I'd shoved in my pockets but as it turns out, he'd never expected payment to begin with. So, between his incessant staring, the incident in the janitor's closet at school, and the rather enjoyable walk home I'm finding myself at a total loss as to what to think he could possibly be thinking of me. Does he despise me? See me as the rich little mayor's daughter? Does he think I'm pretty? Hideous? I'm completely confused. And equally intrigued.

But why now? Why be so intrigued with him now? I've known of him forever and never found myself preoccupied with thoughts of him before. I sit, hidden in the darkness of my balcony and watch him until he leaves, heading back to the Seam. Just before he vanishes from my sight, he pauses and glances back towards my house. It's just a momentary second of a pause and a glance but something about it makes my heart flutter. Did that look back mean that he was thinking of me? Was I running through his thoughts the same way he was consuming mine?

I fall asleep thinking about what it would be like to get to know him better. When I wake up though, reality weighs down on me and I have a feeling that last nights events were just that. Last night's events. Not something more. Not something developing. I'm ridiculous to have imagined it could be anything more.

I get up and get ready for school and then head downstairs where I'm sure Glennis has my breakfast waiting. And I'm right. In the dining room I find a silver domed tray waiting at my seat. No Glennis in sight. No one else for that matter either. But that's typical. My father has likely been at work for more than an hour already. Glennis is probably on the guest floor, tending to the needs of our Capitol guests or something of the like. I lift the silver dome, revealing a plate of eggs benedict, orange slices and juice. It isn't my favorite but it isn't as if I have a choice so I eat it anyway. On the counter in the kitchen I find my lunch sack in it's usual place. Neatly packed, waiting for my retrieval.

I walk a little slower than usual on my way to class, my mind going back and forth over last night before finally deciding that it's just a crush. A simple, silly and very unrealistic crush. I sigh and shake my head to myself. I'm not the first girl in this district to find Gale Hawthorne attractive and I certainly won't be the last.

My morning classes keep me focused but when lunch time comes, I'm once again alone with my thoughts. Katniss and I always sat together at lunch and now that she's gone, I usually sit by myself. Plenty of people would be welcoming if I wanted to sit with them but I'd much rather sit alone. Being the daughter of the Mayor, I'm often looked at differently and find that people never seem to be their natural selves when in my company. That's part of why I like Katniss so much. She is who she is, regardless of who's around her. And she never treated me like I was special. To her, I was just Madge. And she's just about the only person I've ever met who I could just be myself around.

Alone at my table, I open my lunch and pick at the turkey sandwich Glennis made me. Against my better judgment, I lift my eyes and scan the cafeteria for Gale. I find him, across the room, laughing and goofing off with a group of his friends. He's so much more attractive when he's smiling as opposed to scowling. I let my eyes stare for just a second too long and he catches me looking right at him. Embarrassed, I feel my cheeks flush pink and I quickly look back down at my sandwich and silently scold myself for being so foolish as to stare at him like that. Not feeling much like eating, I quickly shove my uneaten lunch back into the paper sack and then toss the whole sack into the trash can, exiting the cafeteria without looking back.

The rest of the afternoon of classes pass and I'm starting to regret not having eaten my lunch. My stomach growls and glance around to make sure no one heard. No one did. The halls are to busy with people talking to their friends to hear my stomach wanting to go home where I'll likely get stuck entertaining the ever needy Capitol reporters, I opt instead to go over to the restaurant and treat myself to an ice cream sundae. If I eat it slowly enough, perhaps it'll be nearly time for the viewing and I can avoid going home altogether.

The bell above the door jingles as I enter the mostly empty dining room, sans two peacekeepers having a late lunch at a corner table. I smile and nod in the direction as if to say a polite hello. It isn't a fancy restaurant at all, just a small, dimly lit, barely decorated room with a handful of tables and a counter. I hop up onto one of the swiveling stools at the counter and Leona appears from the kitchen, menu in hand.

"Well, well, isn't this a pleasant surprise. What can I get for you Miss Undersee?" She asks as she slides the worn plastic menu in front of me.

"I was thinking I could use an ice cream sundae. With strawberry ice cream if you have it." I tell her as I slide the menu back towards her. I don't need a menu here ever. There couldn't be more than ten things on it anyway so if you've been here more than a couple times, it isn't difficult to know what your choices are. Ice cream sundaes aren't officially on the menu but Leona's been making them for me for as long as I can remember.

"One strawberry sundae, coming right up!" She says as she pours me a glass of ice water and pulls a straw from her apron pocket.

I sip on the water and swivel softly side to side while I wait. A Capitol approved music station plays quietly in the background. Soon, when the games begin, they won't play much music on this station. Instead, they'll be covering the games nonstop. It's difficult to avoid too as every shop in town is required to play the station. And my house unfortunately, plays it too. Not because my father is a fan of the games but because the Capitol owns our home and it's used to cater to any and all Capitol visitors. Practically the only way to avoid it is to be outside. And even then, you still are required to go to the daily viewings.

Lately the viewings have been mostly nonsense as the games haven't officially begun yet. Later this week, they'll become more serious as they rank the tributes, scoring them on skills exhibited in the training center and then the following night with the tribute interviews. Once the games begin the next night, the viewings will be graphic and practically unbearable. Even more so this year as I'll be watching my friend on that screen.

"Here you go darlin." Leona chirps as she places my sundae and a spoon in front of me.

"I'm so glad you had the strawberry in stock!" I tell her as I bring a spoonful to my mouth. It's sweet and cold and exactly what I wanted.

"Those Capitol reporters were here earlier, asking questions about your friend. Seems all the Capitol wants to know more about this skinny girl from 12 who was our first volunteer." She chats, leaning over on the counter.

"Yes, they'll be here until the start of the games I believe. Did they ask anything in particular?" I reply casually though really, alarm bells are going off in my head. There are things about Katniss that she wouldn't want all of Panem knowing about. I'm not sure anyone in 12 would intentionally tell all about her but manipulated with the right questioning tactics, one could easily slip up.

"Just if we knew anything about her. Who her friends are, if she had a boyfriend. The basic stuff."

"And did they ask about Peeta too?"

She shakes her head. "Uh-uh. Didn't seem too interested in him. Just asked about her."

"I suppose having a volunteer is a big deal when you haven't had a single one in 74 years." I comment as I have another bite of my sundae.

"I just can't believe she did it."

"I can. I'm not surprised at all."

"You think she's got a chance?"

"I suppose she's got as a good a chance as anyone else." I say with a shrug. Honestly, I do think she has a slim chance. Her hunting background gives her a slight edge but I'll never say that aloud. Not with reporters sniffing around. Nope. Neutral is all anyone will be able to get from me right now.

Leona nods her head as if in agreement then leaves me to go tend to the peacekeepers in the corner. The sundae has begun to melt and after a few more sweet spoonfuls, I push the dish away, wiping my mouth on a paper napkin. I pull money from my pocket and lay it on the counter for Leona.

"Thanks Leona, that was delicious!" I call out to her as I head out the door. She smiles and waves back, still busy with the peacekeepers.

I glance at the clock hanging above the Justice Building. Still a little time before the viewing. And now, knowing that the reporters are out in town asking questions, I'm not sure town is where I want to be. The absolute last thing I want is to have to sit for an interview with them. And if they find out she's a friend of mine, they'll be all over me like white on rice.

I decide to take my chances and go home. Hopefully, the reporters are busy elsewhere in town. I enter through the backside of the house, hoping to slip into my room unnoticed. My hopes are dashed as soon as I enter.

"Oh Miss Undersee, where have you been? I've been waiting for you for over an hour!" Glennis exclaims as soon as the screen door closes behind me.

"I'm sorry, was I supposed to be here for something?" I ask slightly confused. If she needed me, no one let me know or I would've been here. I hate knowing I've kept her waiting.

"There's an interview this afternoon with your father before the viewing and they want you in the shot as well. You'll need to get cleaned up and changed and then hurry on over. You haven't much time." She tells me as she takes my school books from me and gently pushes me towards the stairs.

I hold back a sigh as I make my way up to my room. Inside my room I find that Glennis has already layed out an outfit for me to wear. A bright red silky dress with fancy red shoes to match. No sundress and sandals for me today. No, can't have me looking halfway normal when there are cameras around. This is a huge part of why I hate being the Mayor's daughter. I feel like I'm just some trophy or show piece.

I change into the dress and as I'm slipping on the uncomfortable shoes, Glennis knocks and enters all in one motion.

"Here, sit and put on some makeup while I fix your curls." She orders, still rushing me.

I sit at my vanity and paint my face with makeup as she busies herself with taming my curls. She rubs a smoothing cream between her palms and then over my tresses until the curls of my hair look smooth and glossy. Then from my ribbon drawer, she finds a red satin ribbon and ties it in my hair as if it were a headband, securing the bow hidden underneath my hair. A swipe of red lip stain over my lips and I'm all set. I look beautiful but also ridiculously overdressed to be going to a viewing. For years now, I've tried to only get dressed up like this for Capitol events. In 12, all this does is make me stick out like a sore thumb.

"Glennis, am I being interviewed as well or just sitting there while they speak with my father?"

"Just your father I think but you never know. They just told me to have you there and to look your best for the cameras." She answers as she scoots me towards the door.

I reluctantly but compliantly walk over to the viewing and find a full on camera crew and a few chairs set up on stage. Great, I'll have to do this on stage where everyone can see me. My father sees me and waves me up to the stage.

"You look lovely dear, thank you for being prompt." He greets me without really looking at me. His eyes are busy reviewing a set of note cards in his hands.

"You must be Madge. Here, let's get you in your seat so I can do a lighting test before we start filming." A crew member with green, spiky hair says as he leads me to my seat. He flashes a light a few times and holds a meter in front of my face before frowning and declaring "I guess this is as good as it gets here." in somewhat of a mumbled voice to himself.

I sit quietly as they go through the same nonsense with my father as they seat him and again when our interviewer is seated. And then it begins.

"Marcella Wynans reporting from District 12. I'm here this evening with Mayor Undersee and his daughter Madge to get a feel for what District 12 thinks of finally having it's very first volunteer." Marcella says directly into the camera before turning to my father for the interview. "Mayor Undersee, let's get right too it, how excited are you that your district is all the buzz this year?"

"We are certainly enjoying all the attention." He replies with a smile. No we aren't, I think to myself as he answers.

"As you know, sponsorships are very crucial to success in the games. Do you feel that your tribute volunteer, Katniss Everdeen, will be able to pull in enough funds to help her win the games?"

"I find our tributes are in good hands with their team of stylists and trainers this year. With their guidance, I think the funding will follow. The costumes on presentation night were by far the best we've ever seen!" He says and I nod in agreement.

"They were quite stunning, weren't they?" Marcella acknowledges. "Tell me, Mayor Undersee, what do you think the odds are of one of your tributes coming home a victor this year?"

"I'd like to think they're quite good."

"Like to think or truly believe?" She presses, not accepting his too general of an answer.

"I think. I believe their training scores and interviews will elaborate far more on their abilities than I ever could attest."

Still not satisfied, she turns her microphone to me. Shit. "And what about you Madge? Do you truly believe one of the district's tributes will come home a victor? Afterall, it has been many years since a tribute from 12 pulled out a win."

I swallow. "I truly believe that given enough courage and heart, anything is possible."

"So you're saying they stand a chance of winning?" She relentlessly pursues.

"I think the shear act of volunteering shows all the courage and heart that winning would require so yes, I think there is a chance 12 will be victorious this year."

She smiles, pleased to have gotten a solid answer from me. I smile back is if I were just as happy to have answered. I'm not though. I'm ticked. I hate being on the spot and this wasn't even supposed to be my interview.

She chats for a few more minutes with my father and then the interview is finished and the cameras stop rolling. I hurry off the stage, eager to disappear into the crowd that's begun forming in front of the stage.

**(Gale POV)**

All day I caught myself thinking about her and trying to shake it off. I can't possibly go taking an interest in the Mayor's daughter. Sure, last night we'd had a nice conversation on our walk into town and sure she'd shown me that there was more to her than most would think. But she was still the Mayor's daughter and even if I did ask her out, I seriously doubt I'm the sort of guy she'd consider dating.

At lunch, I'd looked up and seen her staring at me but before I could smile at her or wave, she looked away, almost like she was embarrassed that I'd seen her looking my way. And then she'd left the cafeteria in a hurry. I don't even think she ate her lunch.

Now, as I arrive at the viewing, I'm the one doing the staring. She's sitting up on stage for some interview thing and she looks amazing. She's always pretty but I've never seen her like this before. Fancy red dress and her hair and makeup are all done up special. God, she looks great! I stand there smiling like an idiot as my friend Thom comes up beside me.

"Damn, look at Undersee!" He whispers as he elbows me in the ribs as if I can't see her for myself.

"Tell me about it." I say back without taking my eyes off of her. I couldn't even if I'd wanted too.

I listen as she gets interviewed and I'm a little surprised to hear her pronounce such confidence in Katniss's ability to win. It's a bold statement to make on camera for all of Panem to see. I like how she puts it though. Something about courage and heart. A good answer and a true one at that. If there's one thing Catnip's got, it's courage and heart.

When it's over, she hurries from the stage and suddenly looks very uncomfortable whereas on stage she seemed so confident. She hurries to her seat and I look over at her as I take mine. I want to go over and talk to her but I'm not sure there's time before the viewing starts. And I'm right, a second later the music starts and everyone must find their seat.

All during the viewing I keep glancing back at her, hoping she'll look my way. She doesn't. Not until the last minute or so. I hold up one finger, signaling for her to wait for me when the viewing is over. She scrunches up her face and sort of shrugs. I mouth "wait" at her and she gets it, nodding her head once at me.

As soon as the viewing ends I tell my family I'll see them later and then go over to where Madge is lingering at her chair, still looking uncomfortable.

"Hey." I say as I walk up to her, smiling.

She gives me a shy sort of smile back. "Hi."

"You busy or can you go for a walk?" I ask.

"I have to be home for dinner but if you want to walk that way with me, you're welcome too." She offers up.

"I just wanted to say I liked what you said up there. About Katniss having courage and heart." I tell her as we begin the short walk towards her house.

"I hate doing those interviews. They weren't even supposed to talk to me. I was just supposed to sit there and look pretty while they talked to my father." She grumbles.

I can't help but chuckle. "Well, I'll admit, you did look very pretty sitting there."

I sideways glance at her and catch her looking away as her face blushes at my comment. I smile to myself. She liked it, my calling her pretty. Maybe I would have a shot with her afterall.

"They always make me get all dressed up for these things." She mutters as she frowns down at her red dress.

"So after dinner, you got big plans or anything?" I ask as we stand at the end of her front walk.

She shakes her head and bites her bottom lip a little.

"Wanna come to a party with me?" I ask as I lean on her fence post. I'm smiling at her but inside I can't believe how nervous I am just asking her to hang out with me at a party.

Her eyes widen for a second and I think maybe I was wrong when I thought she might be interested in me too. But then she gives me a hesitant smile. "Okay." She says softly. I have to fight the urge to grin too big.

"Meet you back here in an hour?" I ask.

"Meet me in the meadow instead." She tells me as she goes to hurry up the walk to her front door, flashing me a smile over her shoulder as she does.

I stand there in silent awe for a moment of what just happened. I, Gale Hawthorne, have a date with Madge Undersee.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

**(Madge POV)**

I can't help but fidget all through dinner. The painfully long, multiple course dinner. All I want to do is go up to my room and change clothes and go meet Gale. I cannot believe he invited me to a party! And he told me I looked pretty! And on top of everything, it was him who had approached me after the viewing. It's so unusual, so very unlike him to even speak to me that part of me can't quite wrap my head around it. But it is sort of exciting. So I'm going to go for it and see what happens tonight. That is if this dinner ever ends.

I keep glancing at the small clock on the buffet and if these stupid Capitol people don't shut up and finish eating, I'm never going to make it. Ideally, I'd have time to change clothes and get out of this ridiculous red dress but at the rate things are going, I may be lucky to get out of here at all. I've already gotten a warning glance from my father for all my wiggling around in my seat. He can tell I don't want to be here and he won't stand for that. Not his daughter. Nope, she must be poised and perfect and attentive at all times.

I watch as the hands on the clock hit on the hour. Crap. I'm supposed to be meeting Gale right this very minute! At least there aren't any more courses to be served. I just need one of them, any of them to decide they're finished and then I can politely excuse myself after them. And I can forget about changing my clothes. At this point, I'll be lucky if he's still there waiting for me. Oh God, what if he thinks I'm not coming? What if he leaves, thinking I stood him up? I'll never get asked out again!

Finally, I snap out of my mental panic when a few guests begin to excuse themselves. I quickly do the same and then hurry through the back of the house to the kitchen. I can get to the meadow faster through the backyard. I'm nearly ten minutes late and I'll be lucky if he's still there waiting. I slip quietly out the backdoor and off the porch, glancing back to make sure no one is watching me disappear into the night. It isn't as if I were sneaking out or anything, I just don't want to answer any questions about where I'm going and I certainly don't want the reporters to catch wind of my going to a Seam party.

In the meadow, I find Gale, patiently waiting for me. Smiling even.

"You made it." He says with a grin.

"I'm so sorry I'm late! Dinner took forever and I didn't even have time to change out of this stupid dress and I just knew you'd think I wasn't coming and …" I start rambling breathlessly until he cuts me off.

"Madge, stop. It's no big deal. I knew you'd be here and I didn't mind waiting."

I breathe a sigh of relief and smile at him. "Thanks for that."

"Alright, you ready then?" He ask gesturing towards the path to the Seam.

I nod as a whole new set of nerves fill me. I've never been to a Seam party. I didn't think this through when I'd said yes. As we start walking, he must sense my nervousness because he slows our pace and starts talking.

"So, first time at a Seam party I imagine?" He asks.

"Yes." I squeak out, annoyed that I couldn't keep my voice from cracking.

"Okay then, consider me your official Seam party guide then."

"I need a guide?" I ask, relaxing a little at his humor.

"Oh yes, it's extremely important that you only do exactly what your guide tells you." He replies in phony seriousness.

"That so? Okay, I can play this game. Tonight, I'll follow your lead."

He smiles and winks at me. "Then this should be a very fun night."

I bite my lip as I smile. He elbows my arm. I glance over at him. "The dress isn't stupid by the way."

"What?" I ask.

"The dress. You called it stupid. It isn't."

"It's too fancy. I try to only wear stuff like this at Capitol parties." I tell him as I frown down at the red silk swirling around me.

"You go to many Capitol parties?"

"Some. I try to avoid them whenever I can but sometimes it isn't avoidable."

"Do you not like them? The parties?"

"Not exactly."

"Why not?" He asks, sounding genuinely interested.

I shrug. "Just not much fun I suppose." I don't know how to really explain to him what it's like to be forced to socialize with shallow, fake Capitol citizens.

"Well you're in for a treat tonight. Seam parties, they're always fun." He informs me as we arrive at the party.

I stop and stare at all the commotion. It's unlike anything I've ever seen before. A huge bonfire blazes in the middle of a large open area and music plays from somewhere. But different music, not the Capitol approved station. This is something I've never heard before and it's not playing on a radio. It's being played live. And people are dancing all around the fire. Not formal dancing like in the Capitol but more lively and free. People are laughing and drinking and having fun. I'd never even imagined a party of this nature, especially not right here in 12.

**(Gale POV)**

At the edge of the Seam party, we stop and I watch her face carefully as she takes it all in. It's quite a sight if you've never seen it before and seeing her face, I can tell she's surprised.

I lean down towards her ear and break her mystified trance. "Remember, your guide takes the lead all night."

She looks over at me and her eyes are full of excitement. Part of me wonders if she's ever had fun like this before. I'm starting to doubt that she has but something about the look on her face tells me that she just might be up for a little fun. And I intend to be the guy to show it to her.

I reach out and take her hand lightly in mine and lead us over to where my friends are. As we walk up, I see a few surprised looks on their faces and I know it's because I'm with Madge.

"Hey everybody. You all know Madge. Madge, this is everybody." I say casually as if it's the most normal thing in the world for me to be bringing the Mayor's daughter to a party.

Madge clings to my hand and I kind of like it. She smiles at my group of friends but doesn't say anything. I think she's too shy. Too nervous being out of her usual element. My friends, they don't say anything either, they just sorta stare in disbelief. It's a little awkward.

"Well hell Gale, you gonna get the girl a drink or make her die of thirst?" Thom finally says, lightening the awkwardness.

"We were just heading that way actually." I tell him as I lead Madge away.

"Sorry that was awkward, they're just surprised to see me here is all." I apologize to Madge.

"I think you mean they're surprised to see me here." She says quietly.

She's right but I don't acknowledge it. Just grab us each a drink and turn to her. Hmmm, I'll bet she's never had a drink before.

"So this is your first Seam party experience." I say as I hand her a cup of beer.

She takes it and peers at it hesitantly then takes a sip.

"It's terrible stuff. Home-made and downright terrible but after awhile you don't notice and it starts to taste a lot better." I offer. To her credit, she doesn't wince at the taste. She just smiles and then takes another sip.

"So what's next on the experience list Mr. Guide?" She asks with a raised eyebrow and a smirk.

I take a gulp of my own beer and then smile down at her. "Dancing." I tell her as I take her free hand and start to pull her towards the fire.

"Gale, I don't know…" She hesitates, eyeing the crowd already dancing.

"Oh no you don't! We already went over the rules of this party and decided I was the official party guide. And as your ever knowledgeable guide, I insist we dance."

"I don't know these dances. I'm not familiar with the steps." She pleads.

"That's the best part of a Seam dance, you just dance. No steps, no rules." I tell her as I swallow another gulp of my beer.

She looks out at all the people dancing and then down at her beer, brings her cup to her mouth and to my surprise, chugs it down. As in, drinks the whole thing. I give her an impressed look and then a warning. "Careful with that. It may taste terrible but it knock you on your butt if you have too much too fast."

"Thought we were going to dance." She smirks as she puts her cup down and heads towards the fire.

I tip back my own cup and then toss it, now empty, to the side before following her. I take her hand and twirl her around, dancing with her as she laughs. It's impossible to not notice how gorgeous she looks right now. And not just in her fancy dress either. She's having fun. I don't know if I've ever seen her have fun before. And it looks good on her. I think it's the best I've ever seen her look.

The song ends and she leans against my side, still smiling, still laughing. "That was so much fun!" She tells me.

"Ain't over yet." I tell her as another song starts and we dance a few more rounds around the fire. By the third song, she's fully into it and if it weren't for her fancy dress and silky blonde hair, she could easily be mistaken for a girl from the Seam. And honestly, this is the best I've felt in days now. I actually feel happy. After the fourth or fifth song ends I'm ready for another beer.

I sling my arm around her shoulder and look down at her. I really like how this feels, hanging out with her, dancing, having fun. "I'm gonna grab another drink. You want one?"

"Sure, why not?" She smiles and shrugs.

"Alright, be right back." I tell her and head off in search of drinks. On the way back to find her, drinks in hand, I freeze. Esper Whitlock is standing there talking to her. Shit. Nothing good can come of this.

"Aren't you a little bit overdressed for this party?" I hear Esper ask, voice tinged with venom.

"I think she looks freaking amazing in that dress." I interrupt as I step up next to Madge, handing her the beer and then slinking my arm around her waist.

"You do realize what her little plan was, don't you?" Esper spits at me.

"Not interested, Esper." I tell her as I turn, guiding us away from her. Ever since I bailed on her at that party the other night she's been pissy but I can't believe she'd go as far as to start crap with Madge.

"You should be. She's obviously been planning this the whole time. That's why she made friends with Katniss. To get to you. And now with Katniss gone for good, she's making the play, making her move. You're a fool if you don't see that Gale." She yells after us.

My intent is to ignore her and apologize to Madge and try to explain Esper's jealousy later but Madge drops her beer and spins out from my arm, turning back to her.

"You think I was friends with Katniss to get a date with Gale? How dare you question my motives! Katniss is one of the best friends I've ever had and for the record, she may not be gone for good!" Madge angrily yells back at Esper. I drop my beer and go after her. The last thing I need is to have Madge get in a fight tonight.

"Well, all I know is you've never shown any interest in Gale before now. Sure is awfully convenient you taking up with him just days after she left." Esper challenges back.

"What's it to you anyway? Huh?" I interject, again positioning myself right next to Madge. A small crowd is already forming around us.

"Just seems some people ought to stick to their own side of town is all." She says shooting a glare at Madge before crossing her arms over her chest and then spinning on her heel and marching off.

"How about we get outta here?" I more tell Madge than ask. I take her hand and lead us through the crowd and down the path towards the Seam. Once we're out of sight and alone I stop and turn to her.

"I'm really, really sorry about Esper. Her problem is a lot more about me than it is about you. I really hope she didn't ruin your night." I tell her as sincerely and apologetically as I can.

"I can't believe I stood up to her like that. I've never been confrontational in my life!" She admits.

"You shocked the hell outta me, that's for sure. Probably her too."

"She just made me so angry! How dare she say I wasn't a true friend to Katniss!"

"She's just jealous is all."

"Were you two dating?"

"Not exactly dating." I confess vaguely as I kick at the gravel with my boot.

"Uh huh." She says quietly, knowing full well what I just admitted.

"I really am sorry though. I was having a lot of fun with you before she went and ruined everything." I apologize again. I can't believe Esper Whitlock is gonna be the reason Madge decides not to be interested in me.

Madge sighs and shakes her head. "Walk me home?" She suggests.

"Sure." I agree, still feeling like all the life of our date got sucked out by Esper's antics.

We walk quietly for awhile and then I stop us again. I just can't let tonight end like this, not when it was going so good. "Look, I'm not gonna walk you home. Not when earlier I was having the most fun I've had in awhile. I can't let tonight end on such a sour note."

"Gale, it's fine, really."

"No, it isn't. I'm not letting our date end like this. Let's go somewhere, do something else."

She looks up at me and I can tell she wants to say yes, that she wants to continue our date too but she's on the fence, wavering. Esper's words probably churning her thoughts.

"Walk me home but we won't go inside. We'll sit out in the gardens, I want to soak my feet in the water anyway." She finally suggests.

"Perfect, let's go." I say holding my hand out to her, hopeful that she'll take it. When I feel her hand slip into mine, I know I still have a chance to salvage this night.

As we arrive at her house, she leads us through the meadow into her backyard and then down a little ways into a garden area. Huge, well manicured floral bushes suddenly surround us and she weaves us through their maze until we arrive at a large stone fountain.

"Wow, I never knew all this was back here." I tell her as I sit on the stone wall of the fountain.

"It's been here forever. Everything's just grown so full and so high that it hides the fountain. No longer visible from the road or the meadow. We'll have to keep our voices down a bit or else we'll wake up my whole house though. The sound carries from here." She says as she kicks off her shoes and climbs over the edge of the fountain, putting her feet right in the water.

"Your feet hurt?" I ask.

"Just a little. It's those stupid shoes. The water feels good though." She tells me. She's wading knee deep in the fountain, the hem of her red dress floating in the water around her.

"You're gonna ruin that dress you know."

"Can't wear it again after today anyway." She shrugs as if it's nothing.

"Why not?"

"They won't let me wear a dress for an interview and then be seen in it a second time. After I take this off, it'll go straight into the trash." She explains.

"You throw away your clothes after you wear them?" I ask in disbelief.

Her head snaps up at me, a little defensively. "No. I don't do anything. What I said was, if I'm photographed in an outfit, I am not allowed to wear it again. It isn't my doing or my choice at all."

I back down realizing an argument with her about how stupid and wasteful that is won't win me any likability points right now.

"Well, it's a shame cause that dress…it's really something on you." I compliment her as I reach out and run my fingers over the red fabric floating in the water.

She blushes. I can see it in the moonlight. And I like it.

"You really like this dress, don't you?" She asks as she comes a step closer to where I'm sitting.

I stand and turn to face her. "No. I like you in that dress. There's a difference."

"That so?" She asks.

"That's so." I reply. "And know what else?" I ask.

"What's that?" She asks, playing along with my little flirtatious game.

I reach out and place my hands on her tiny waist, pulling us a little closer. "I really liked dancing with you tonight."

"I've never had so much fun at a party before." She tells me.

I pick her up by the waist and hoist her out of the fountain, placing her on her feet, in the grass in front of me. "Me neither." I nearly whisper. Kissing her is all I can think about right now. And so I just go for it. I lean down and kiss those red lips of hers.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

**(Madge POV)**

It's crazy. Just crazy. I know it. He knows it. We both know how crazy it is. But neither of us seems to care at the moment. I'm down right smitten with him. And he's a little more than fond of me too. We're the most unlikely of couples and it'll be all anyone will talk about once word spreads.

Last night had been the most fun I've ever had on a date. Not that I've had too terrible much experience with dating per say, but still, it was incredible. Well, mostly incredible. There was that little run in with a girl from the Seam. Esper. She and I had exchanged heated words after she'd made some stirring accusations about my intentions with Gale and Katniss. Still, that mess aside, I couldn't wipe the smile from my face if I tried.

The best part of last night? That kiss by the fountain. It was one of those moments you want to last forever and ever. One of those keep you up at night, take your breath away kind of kisses. It couldn't have been more perfect. He'd been flirting and I'd dished it right back at him and then he'd picked me up and taken me out of the fountain. Hands on my waist, pulling me closely to him. He leaned down and just kissed me. I felt his lips against mine and I felt myself just melt against him, instantly craving more. When our lips parted, I stood there, breathless and entranced. His hand ran up my arm and then brushed over my cheek. He leaned in once more and kissed me again. And then he'd said goodnight and told me he'd see me tomorrow.

And now it's tomorrow and I don't quite know what to do with myself. I've long since gotten up and dressed and ready for school but I just can't seem to shake the case of nerves I have. What if it was all a fluke thing? What if I wasn't as much fun on a normal day as I was at last night's party? What if I had another run in with Esper and wasn't as brave as I'd been last night? Odds are, I won't even see Gale except at lunch but what happens there? Does he come sit with me? Or do I go over to his table with his friends? So many questions, not a single solid answer.

I give myself one last look in the mirror and decide to head down for my breakfast. The silver domed dish holds bacon and eggs with sourdough toast. I pick at it but ultimately find myself to big a ball of nerves to eat much. I push the dish aside, grab my lunch sack and leave for school.

In the hallways, I get a few looks and whispers which lets me know that word has already begun to spread about my attendance at the party last night. I get to my first class but just as I'm about to walk through the doorway, a hand grabs at my waist and pulls me back.

"Just wanted to say good morning. See you at lunch." Gale tells me in a low, flirty voice.

"Morning." I smile up at him. He leans down and kisses my forehead before turning and heading for his own class.

I watch him go and then enter my own class, a silly smile plastered on my blushing face. A lot of the nerves I was feeling earlier seem to have faded away and I go into class, taking my seat. Stares and whispers surround me but somehow, it isn't bothering me.

My classes blur right past me as I spend most of my morning lost in daydreams and paying very little attention to my lessons. By the time the bell signaling lunch rings, I'm nothing but excited to get to spend time with Gale again. Nerves completely gone.

Inside the cafeteria, I look over at Gale's usual area but don't see him. I see his friends, but not him. I hear a little whistle come from the other side of the cafeteria and I spin around to find Gale, already waiting for me at my usual table.

"Hey there." He greets as I take a seat across from him.

"Hi, I was looking for you."

"So I noticed. We can sit over there with my guys if you really want to but I was kinda thinking I can talk to you a little more over here." He explains leaning in towards me across the table.

"Here is good." I tell him, smiling. He's so cute, especially now that I get to see him smile just for me all the time. I open my lunch sack and begin pulling out my food. As I spread it out before me, I realize that Gale doesn't have much for lunch. Or anything really. Should I offer to share mine or would that be insulting? I decide not to say anything but I am suddenly very self conscious of my food so I mostly just set it in front of me and focus on him instead.

"So, you get as many whispers and looks as I've been all morning?"

"Yes. I think word has definitely spread about you taking me to that party." I admit, a little glad that I'm not the only one being looked at.

"It's not bothering you is it?" He asks a little cautiously.

I shake my head. "No, not exactly. I still don't like what Esper said about my using Katniss and all but no one else has come up to me and said anything like that. Besides, I'm not surprised, I sort of expected we would be a hot topic around school today."

"Yeah, I'd say we were at the top of the gossip list." He laughs. "I am sorry about Esper again though. For what it's worth, I know that you and Katniss had a very real friendship." He adds.

I sigh. "I hate not having her here."

He gets a sad look on his face and just nods. I know he must miss her terribly too. His friendship with her was far deeper than mine ever was so I know I'm probably only feeling a fraction of what he feels.

"You ever get any inside information during the games? Like stuff they don't tell the rest of us?" He whispers.

I nod. "We have a station that plays nonstop once the games begin."

"No, not the stuff they play for anyone with a radio. What I mean is there secret stuff your dad tells you or anything like that?"

"I don't know. If there is, I certainly never hear about it. But I usually don't ask many questions, especially about the games."

He sort of stares off in space and gets quiet. I know he's worried about her and I wish I had something to offer up in encouragement but I don't have anything.

"Hey, aren't you gonna eat?" He asks suddenly realizing that I haven't taken a single bite of my sandwich yet.

"What? Oh, I hadn't even noticed I wasn't eating." I try to play it off and take a bite of my sandwich. Again I debate on offering him some of the lunch I surely won't be finishing but I'm afraid he'd feel like it was charity. Katniss was always like that and I'm sure he would be the same.

A uncomfortable silence falls between us as I slowly eat my lunch, unsure of what to say and he's quiet, either still thinking of Katniss or also uncomfortable by my extravagant lunch spread and his lack there of.

"So, tell me. What does a girl like you like to do for fun when you aren't crashing Seam parties? Hmmm?" He inquires, breaking our quiet.

"I read. Or work on my studies." I tell him and as soon as the words leave my mouth, I realize how dull I just made myself sound. Work on my studies? Really? That's what I tell him?

He laughs. "No silly, I said fun. What do you do for fun?"

"I do enjoy reading, thank you very much. And well, I don't know what else." I tell him, feeling a little pathetic for not being able to come up with a better answer. In truth, I don't have a lot of freedom to just go around having fun. I spend most of my time just trying to stay out of the way around my house and it's guests.

"Okay, let me ask you this way, what was the last fun thing you did before I took you to that party?"

I think for a minute. Ice cream. I had fun eating that strawberry sundae. Can't say that though. Not when he's sitting here, starving through lunch. Think Madge. Jewelry! "I made this bracelet!" I say holding out my wrist to show him my hand-beaded bracelet.

"Ah ha! So you do have a hobby that doesn't involve books!" He teases. "Seriously though, that's pretty cool looking. You really made that?" He asks as his fingertips trace over the beadwork. His fingers trail down over the back of my hand and then fold between my fingers. My heart flutters.

"Mmmhmm. A few years ago, we had a Capitol guest who was a jewelry designer. She taught me some basic steps and then I just got better at it each time I made something." I tell him, not letting go of his hand.

"Well, it certainly beats having studying as a hobby." He teases again.

I give him a look. "And just what is it that you do for fun?" I ask turning it back on him.

"Can't tell you. You're too closely tied to the Capitol." He whispers with a sneaky grin. I know he means going out in the woods beyond the fence.

"What's it like out there?" I whisper back, leaning towards him.

His eyes study me for a moment and then he's just about to answer me when the bell rings, ending lunch.

"Have to answer that one a little later." He says and then pulls my hand to his lips, lightly kissing it before letting it go.

**(Gale POV)**

Watching her open her lunch and pull out so much food was incredibly hard. Not being able to get in the woods to hunt, I've been skipping lunch so the food in my house can stretch a little further. So as I sit there, I just couldn't believe how much food one person would get for just one meal. She had a sandwich, an apple, pretzels. Even a cookie. It wasn't her fault of course. I know hunger isn't something she has to worry about. Still, it was tough. And then I noticed she wasn't eating. Not a single bite. She acted as if she'd been distracted and simply forgotten to start eating but there's a part of me that thinks she didn't want to eat because I wasn't eating. If anything though, I was glad she didn't try to share with me. Hungry or not, I've got no intentions of taking free food.

It'd been nice sitting and talking with her alone. I'd intentionally sat alone with her. My friends had been giving me crap all morning in class about my bringing Madge to the party last night. And I could care less about their teasing but I do care about them teasing her and I just didn't trust them not to throw a few jokes at her. I'm not sure where this is all going with Madge but so far, I really, really like hanging out with her and I'd prefer not to have my friends scaring her off.

I can't believe how in a matter of mere days, I'd gone from yelling at this girl to kissing her. I swear, I never would have, never could have imagined kissing her. But man, now that I have, now that I know what it's like, it's just about all I can think about. This morning, I'd been late to my first class because I just had to go find her and kiss her. Just a little peck on the forehead but only because we had an audience.

At lunch, she'd asked what it was like out in the woods and the look on her face made me have the most absurd thought. She looked so genuinely intrigued that I'd almost asked if she wanted to come out there with me sometime. I'd stared at her and the invitation to join me had been right there on the tip of my tongue. But then the bell had rung and I'd decided not to ask. Not yet anyway. But it did start me wondering, just what would it be like to get her out there? Would she love it like I do? Would she even dare to go out there?

For now though, I just wanted to finish working and get to the viewing. The butcher found me on my way to school and had offered up another odd job deal for me. Well, sort of a regular thing but on a week to week basis. Not paid in money but in scrap meats. Having the extra Capitol folks in town was increasing the meat purchases for both the Mayor's house and for the little restaurant in town and thankfully, that was creating a tiny bit too much work for the butcher to handle alone. So, he's having me come in a couple days a week and clean up after him, washing up his prep room. It's disgusting work. Horrible smell. Flies everywhere. But, I won't complain. It gets me one bundle of scrap meats per week I work. Scrap meats are the leftover bits of whatever he was cutting and prepping for sales that wouldn't normally be considered usable. For me though, it's usable. Food is food, plain and simple.

As soon as I'm finished working, I head home and get washed up. And because of the smell, I can't just wash up in the rain barrel out back. I actually have to heat water up on the stove and scrub myself down with it. Cold water just doesn't cut it for this kind of stench. As soon as I'm cleaned up, I literally have to run in order to make it to the viewing in time. I get checked in just in the nick of time before they close the check in stations. I hurry to my seat, a little annoyed that I didn't get here early enough to sit with Madge or to invite her to sit with my family. I do look over and wink at her. Her cheeks become a soft shade of pink and I love it. I hope that keeps happening.

"When did you start dating the Mayor's daughter?" Rory leans over and whispers. Obviously the gossip has made its way to the lower grades as well.

"We're just getting to know each other is all." I whisper back.

"Not what I heard." He says back.

Our mother snaps her fingers at us and gives us a look warning us to hush and pay attention. Peacekeepers don't like it if they catch you not paying attention so we heed her warning and turn our attention back to the viewing screen. I don't like what he said though, about "not being what he heard" and all. I'm definitely gonna have to find out just what exactly it is that he heard. Rumors fly like crazy around this place and I'm used to it. My name's been in more than a rumor or two when it comes to girls. But where I normally wouldn't care, I'm not sure I like the idea of Madge being a rumor topic. Her reputation is way more important than mine and is under constant scrutiny whereas mine, well, I'm nobody so nobody cares.

The viewing today reveals the tribute's scores from the past few days at the training center. Scores are kinda important because it's how you can tell who to watch for and all. The Capitol people use it to decide who they want to sponsor. Historically, our folks from 12 never do well. I think the best I've ever seen somebody get was a 5 and they only lasted one day in the arena. If Catnip was able to get to a bow and show em what she could do, she might score better than a 5. But, having not been to the training center and knowing nothing much about it, I don't know if there's a bow available for her. They reveal the scores in numerical district order so of course I have to wait through everyone else's scores before they get to 12. District's 1 and 2 score the highest as usual and there's a big guy from 11 that does decent but everyone else seems about average. Finally, they talk about 12.

The baker's kid does way better than I though he would being a townie and all. Kid got a solid 8. If he can pull an 8, surely my Catnip can do at least that well. I lean forward in my chair and listen. When they put her score up, you can hear gasps from all around. She got an 11. That's damn near unheard of, especially for a girl from the poorest district in Panem! I have to blink to make sure I read it right. But I did. She really got an 11! I sit back and laugh. Man what I wouldn't give to be with her right now, to see the look on her face when they told her what she scored! I look over at where Madge is and she's smiling too, as I knew she would be.

The viewing for today ends after a little more commentary on how unbelievable our district's scores were. Hell, even Panem is shocked at the score. I want to go find Madge but I need to clarify that little rumor thing with Rory first.

"Hey, what exactly did you hear about me and Madge?" I ask Rory as quietly as I can. Thankfully, there's so much excitement and commotion around us that no one is listening.

He shrugs. "Just that she was all over you last night at a party. And that you got her drunk. And that she got in a fight over you with some girl. And that yall left together."

"Just that, huh?" I say sarcastically. "First off, she wasn't all over me. We were dancing just like everyone else. Secondly, she wasn't drunk. She had like one beer all night. And she didn't get in a fight, just a heated conversation after Esper Whitlock accused her of not being a good friend to Katniss." I spit out quickly, trying to set the story straight.

"But yall left together?" He points out with a smug little expression.

I punch his shoulder for being a wise ass. "Not like what you're thinking. I walked her home is all."

"Uh huh." He shoots back and then ducks out of reach knowing I might sock him again.

"Do me a favor, next person you hear spreading that mixed up version, make sure you set it straight or tell em to feel free and come ask me about it." I tell him as I turn and walk off.

I search the still lively crowd for Madge. She's talking to those Capitol reporters again. Not like a formal interview but still, I want no part of that so I hold back and wait for her to finish before I approach her.

She's so poised as I watch her. Like she gave interviews every day or something. It's strange though because other times, when she's not being "Madge the Mayor's daughter" she seems to have a shy sort of tendency. Most people I know are the opposite. All confident in a normal atmosphere but nervous as hell around Capitol people. Finally, she's finished and the reporters head off in search of their next interviewee.

I come up behind her, leaning down to whisper in her ear. "Hey."

She startles and spins around, face instantly lighting up when she sees me. "Can you believe it? She got an 11! Do you know what that can do for her by way of sponsorships?" She shrieks.

"Yep. Looks like our Katniss just showed em she can hold her own." I agree as I reach down and take her hand.

Her fingers fold around mine and it feels so natural and easy. "What are you doing tonight?" She asks me.

"Whole lot of nothing. Why? You wanna do something?"

"I have to go to dinner of course but after that I don't have to be anywhere and I was thinking perhaps you and I could do something?"

"Okay, want me to meet you back here in a bit?"

"Yes. The meadow in about an hour and half? Dinner might run longer tonight because of all the excitement about the scores."

"I'll see you there." I tell her, quickly leaning down and brushing my lips over hers. Probably shouldn't be kissing her in town like this, especially given the rumors swirling, but I just can't help it. It's like I'm being drawn to her uncontrollably or something. And by the way she leans into me as we kiss, I'm thinking she must feel that same pull.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

**(Madge POV)**

He kisses me right there, in front of everyone after the viewing. I was surprised but welcomed it. It's no wonder he has so many girls just falling at his feet with kisses like that. Something about the way it feels to be kissed by him just makes me forget every care I ever had in the world and I just melt right there before him. I know I'll have questions to answer once my father hears about this; that is if he didn't see it himself but I don't care. Not right now anyway. Right now, I'm just too happy. Between this new thing with Gale and the phenomenal scores that Katniss and Peeta received, I'm thrilled to no end.

At dinner, one stern look from my father and I know he's heard that I was kissing Gale in town. It isn't as if I'm not allowed to date. I am. The problem is going to be whom I'm dating. My father, a relatively kind man, would never be outright rude to anyone based off their financial or social status but he also has certain expectations for my life. He may have some concerns about me getting to terribly close to a boy from the Seam. He also may have concerns because Gale sneaks outside the fence to hunt. And possibly, he may have heard about Gale's reputation for, ahem, his extracurricular activities with the girls in the district. Thankfully, he's too busy entertaining our guests to have time for a sit down talk with me. I do doubt he'd ever go to the extremes of forbidding me to date Gale anyway. Probably just give me a firm talking to and caution me to be mindful of my actions and choices, reminding me that the Capitol is always watching.

Dinner conversation, as expected, is all abuzz with talk of our tribute's scores. Everyone is excited and surprised. The reporters are just beside themselves about what a great scoop they're going to have by having been here to experience the excitement during the score revealing. They go on and on about all the pictures they took and people the spoke with after the viewing concluded. For once, I don't zone out during the table talk. This is all good news and good exposure for Katniss and Peeta to gain sponsorship funds. It fuels my hope of all hopes that maybe, just maybe, Katniss can make it back home.

After dinner, I again go to slip out the back way of the house unnoticed. I'm walking up to the meadow just as Gale appears on the path leading from the Seam. I wave and go up to meet him. Again, he kisses me without a word of greeting. His hands just encircle my waist and pull me towards him as his lips come down on mine. When our lips part, his arms stay wrapped around me.

"So, got any ideas on what you want to do tonight?" He asks.

I give my shoulders a small shrug. "Doesn't matter to me."

"Alright, come on then." He let's go of my waist and finds my hand, leading me to follow him.

"Where are we going?" I ask.

"The riverbed."

"The what?"

"You'll see."

We walk all the way to the edge of the Seam path and I pause, looking around in confusion. What is riverbed? Is this it?

"You okay to go off the path a little ways? It's not too far but we do have to go through some brush." He asks turning to me and eyeing my clothes.

"I can handle it." I tell him confidently, caring not one bit about my clothes getting messed up.

"Just try to step where I step."

I follow behind him as we slowly make our way through knee high, tangled weeds. It's thick and a little difficult to walk in with my dress catching on things but I do as he suggests and try to place my feet just behind his, where his steps have temporarily matted down a path for me. After several minutes we come to another stop.

"Alright, this next part is a little tricky. We've gotta climb down a little bit of a drop here." He says as he points to where the ground becomes a steep dirt and rock slope.

"Tell me what to do." I tell him as I peer down the slope, illuminated by the full moonlight. It's steep and I'm not sure my ballet flats are going to keep me from slipping.

He looks at my clothes again and then down the slope. "Let me go first and you hold on to the back of me."

I nod and start down after him. He goes really slowly and I keep a solid grip on the back of his shirt. My shoes do absolutely nothing to keep me from slipping though and in the blink of an eye, I tumble forward, landing hard on my knees. Thankfully, Gale's in front of me and keeps me from sliding. As soon as he feels me falling, he turns and tries to catch me but it's too late.

"Oh my God, are you okay?" His hands immediately pulling me to my feet.

I can feel from the stinging sensation in my knees that I've skinned them but it doesn't feel any worse than that. Mostly, I'm just embarrassed to have fallen.

"I'm okay, just slipped." I say as I play it off.

"You're sure? You aren't hurt?"

"Relax Gale. I've fallen down before and lived. I'll be okay." I insist, feeling self conscious about his concern for me.

He stares at me for a minute. Then without a word, in one quick movement, he sweeps me clear off my feet and I'm being carried the rest of the way down the slope. I never knew it was possible to be a mix of both flattered and embarrassed but I'm feeling both. Flattered to be lifted into his arms like this and embarrassed that he felt it necessary.

At the bottom of the hill, he places me gently back on my feet. "So this, is Riverbed." He tells me, gesturing all around us.

All around me is dirt and rock and it's wide with steep sides. "Why is it called Riverbed?"

"Cause that's what it is. There used to be a river here. This is the dried up remains of it."

"A river? In 12?"

"Didn't you know that? I thought you, what with all your fun studies, for sure would've known there used to be a river here." He teases.

"I have never heard this before. What happened to it? Did it just run dry?"

"Nope. After the rebellion, the Capitol damned it off so that it wouldn't flow between multiple districts. If you follow it far enough, and if it weren't for fences, supposedly it takes you right down into District 11. Or 13 if you follow it the other way."

I stare around me in stunned amazement. I've never heard any of this. Ever. How is that even possible? I thought I knew everything was there was to know about our district. "How do you know all that?"

"When I was a kid, before my dad died, he brought me out here, told me all about it. I think I was like 8 or 9 years old. And I'm pretty sure I slipped coming down that slope too."

"How come no one knows about this place when it's right here inside the district?"

"It's just too far to the edge. Gotta go through all that overgrown brush and then climb down. And once you do, there isn't much to see. Just a bunch of dry earth and rock. And likely not many people know it's an old riverbed. Probably just think it's the ground."

"If it's not much to see, why do you come here?"

"I like when I can find quiet places. Never once seen a Peacekeeper out this far." He shrugs.

"I wouldn't think so." I laugh at picturing a Peacekeeper in full uniform out here. "I like it here. Almost feels like we aren't even in the district anymore."

"Exactly." He says, taking a seat right there on the ground.

I take a seat next to him, feeling the sting in my knees as I bend. "Is this where you bring all your dates?" I joke. Well, I'm only halfway joking. I am a teensy bit curious if he's been here with half the girls in town.

"Nah. I brought Katniss here if that counts but that's it."

Hmmm. Does that count? Did he date Katniss at some point and she just never told me about it? "I thought you two never were a couple."I note quietly.

He shakes his head. "We weren't. She's just the only other person I've brought out here and told that story too."

I suddenly find myself feeling very privileged to have been brought out here and for him to have shared the story behind this place. "You know something? For all the things I ever thought you were, you sure do keep surprising me." I confess.

"Guess that makes two of us cause you aren't anything like I'd imagined you to be. Not at all."

"Can I ask what you imagined exactly?" I ask, unsure if I really want to know.

"Aww, you aren't gonna make me tell you all that are you?" He groans with a laugh.

"Oh yes." I insist with a smile, turning myself to face him.

"I thought you were a princess. All frills and formal like. Almost like a Capitol girl but without the freakish colored hair and clothes."

Typical, I think to myself.

"What about me? What'd you think I was like?" He asks.

"Well, I took what I saw on the surface-a guy with a lot of girlfriends, and figured that was all there was too you."

"For the record, some of those girlfriends were nothing more than rumors." He says.

"And for the record, I'm no Capitol girl."

"So I'm finding out." He says leaning closer to me.

I smile at him and myself, lean a little closer. All I want to do is kiss him. He reaches out, hands cupping my face and slowly, softly kissing me.

"I really like kissing you." I whisper when our lips part.

"Is this crazy? Are we crazy?" He whispers back.

"I think we just might be." I confirm with another kiss.

"I'm good with that if you are." He says, intertwining his fingers with mine.

"Oh I'm good with it."

"People are really going to be talking once they see that we're really together. You might get a lot of flack for it. You okay with that?" He asks, more serious now.

"Mmhmm. I don't care what they think."

"Me neither." He says kissing me longer this time, hands running through my hair.

"So it's me and you then." I whisper, my face just inches from his.

"Me and you." He echos back. "Me and you."


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

**(Gale POV)**

I mean it when I say it to her and they aren't words I've said to any girl before. Me and you. We're officially a couple. Just me, just her. All the other girls I've played around with before never left me wanting only them. They never held my full attention and interest. But Madge does. And I have no intention of talking or playing around with other girls. Nope, not when I have her.

After the riverbed, I'd walked her home. Kissed her goodnight a few more times and then watched as she disappeared into that big white house of hers. Walking home, all I felt was happiness and all I wanted was for it to be tomorrow so I could see her again. Just being with her had a way of making me forget about the frustrations in my life.

When I slip in my house, I expect everyone to be sound asleep as they usually are but instead I find my mother has waited up for me.

"Hey, what are you still doing up?" I ask as I pull off my boots.

"I was waiting for you. I wanted to ask you about that very public kiss with the Mayor's daughter after the viewing today." She says as I sit down at the table across from her.

"What about it?" I ask. My mother has never once asked me about any of the girls in my life so this is new for me.

She hesitates as if trying to carefully choose her words. "Are the two of you seeing each other?"

I can't help but smile. "Yeah."

"Gale, are you sure it's wise to be involved with someone who has such strong ties to the Capitol? I'm sure she's a very lovely girl but I'd hate to see you put yourself in danger by becoming close with her."

I know she means that with my breaking the law every time I leave the fence to hunt that I should be cautious about who I let into my life. "You don't have to worry about her telling on me, Ma. She isn't like that."

"You don't know that."

"Ma, she's been friends with Katniss for years. We've been selling berries to her for just as many years. Madge already knows I go out in the woods. She isn't going to tell on me."

"She may not have yet and right now she may not intend too but what happens if something goes wrong and you break her heart? Will she still be so willing to keep your activities a secret?"

"I've got no plans to break her heart."

She gives me a look that says she doesn't believe me. "Gale, there's a long list of heartbroken girls you've left behind and …"

"Not this one though. Ma, I don't know what it is about her, but she's different. What we are, it's different than anything or anyone before. I don't even know how to explain it but trust me when I say, my feelings for Madge, they're sincere." I interrupt her before she can finish.

She sighs a little and offers a tired smile. "Alright, alright. Just please, for your own safety and for our families safety, be wise with your actions." She warns as she pats my hand.

I tell her goodnight and then collapse on my bed, exhausted and happy.

When I wake up the next morning, I feel more optimistic than I have in a long time. Katniss is seemingly good in her preparations for the games. I've secured the temporary job at the butcher's providing food for everyone. And I've got Madge Undersee.

At school, I don't find Madge until lunchtime. I look for her in the morning in the hallways between classes but because she's a grade behind me, our schedules are very different and I never find her. Come lunchtime though, I find her waiting for me in the cafeteria.

"I've been looking for you all morning beautiful."

Her cheeks redden and she smiles. "Hi."

I lean down and kiss her, right there on the lips, right in front of anyone watching us and then lead her over to her usual lunch table.

She stops me. "We sat over here yesterday. Don't you want to sit with your friends today?"

I glance over to where my friends are and then back at her. "You sure? We're an awfully rowdy bunch."

"I'm sure."

I smile at her. I know it's intimidating for her to be around a group of people she doesn't know and I know she's going to do it for me.

"Alright, c'mon." I lead us over.

"Scoot over." I tell Thom when we get to the table. He slides over, making room for both of us.

We sit down and as Madge pulls out her lunch, I notice there's substantially less food with her today. I wish she wouldn't do that. She doesn't need to eat less just because I have less. All she has today is a sandwich. I'll have to mention it to her later but in a nice way where she won't feel bad about it.

"So are yall a thing now or what?" Amos asks us, not even trying to be subtle about it.

Madge and I share a smile with each other and she gives me the faintest of nods. "Yep. We are indeed."

A few glances go around between my friends and then Thom looks over at Madge. "I don't know ya all that well but one thing is obvious. You have terrible taste in guys." He teases her. I elbow him. Everyone else laughs, Madge included. It feels good, my friends accepting her, accepting us.

**(Madge POV)**

It was terrifying at lunch suggesting we sit with his friends instead of alone at my table but I really felt it was important. I don't want him to feel like he can only be with me alone. I want him to see that he can be with me and still have his normal life too. But while I want that, I was nervous. It was fine though and by the end of lunch I felt pretty comfortable. And I think it was mutual with his friends.

Last night, Gale and I had officially become a couple. He's all I seem to be able to think about, especially after how amazing last night had been. It'd been incredibly difficult to make myself go home last night. All I wanted to do was stay out there in that dried out riverbed, talking to him, kissing him.

Hopefully, tonight after the viewing, we can find time together again. My father is hosting a dinner for the families of the tributes after the viewing this evening. That may take a little while but I should be able to get away after that.

At the viewing, I blow Gale a kiss as he slips in last minute, taking his seat with his family. I'd considered sitting over with his family but ultimately decided not too since he hasn't taken that step in formally introducing me to them. I'm not sure if that's even something he would do but just in case it is, I take my normal seat.

The viewing begins and it's a one of the few nights of viewing I could ever actually look forward too. Normally, I don't look forward to any of the viewings given what they stand for but after last night's high scores, I really want to see Katniss and hear what she's thinking and see how she's doing.

The interviews go of course in numerical district order which means this evening's viewing is unbearably long as I wait impatiently for District 12's turn. Finally, Katniss comes out and takes a seat by Caesar Flickerman. She looks more beautiful than I ever could have imagined. Stunning really. And she seems so poised and comfortable. Hard to believe that's Katniss up there. The Katniss I know wouldn't be caught dead in a frilly dress and makeup. I scoot forward on my seat, anxiously waiting to hear what she has to say.

"Well, well, well Miss Everdeen! You are certainly bringing the surprises to our little games this year!" Caesar begins.

Katniss smiles.

"First, you volunteer-a very first for your district. Next you dazzle us in the tribute presentations with your fiery costume and then last night you shocked us once more with that solid score of 11. I must say, you're capturing everyone's attention and impressing us all."

"I certainly hope I continue to impress you all." She replies, smiling out at the audience.

"Let's talk about that score of yours. Care to share your secrets from the training center with us? What exactly did you do to earn that top score?"

"Now Caesar, you can't expect me to tell you what goes on in the training center can you?"

"I could try, can't I?" He shrugs and laughs. "Okay then, let's talk support. Do you think you have the support of your fellow District 12 citizens?"

She's quiet for a moment. "I can only hope that they've been proud of my efforts thus far."

Ceasar turns towards the audience and dramatically whispers to them. "Shall we let her see just how much support she has?"

The audience cheers and he turns towards the giant screen behind him. It flickers on and suddenly I see a shot of 12 from yesterday, right after the viewing. Everyone celebrating in the square. The camera panning all around as we all celebrated. The reporters were right, they did get some great shots. Everyone looks so alive and happy. And then it happens. The last shot, which stays frozen on the giant screen behind Ceasar and Katniss, is of Gale and I kissing, his arms around my waist.

"Just look at the excitement and enthusiasm there! You are the reason those people are so happy! I'd say it's a safe bet, you've got their support. " He tells her.

She stares at the screen, eyes wide, stunned expression across her face before she recomposes herself. "Well, that is quite a celebratory display. I'll have to do my very best to bring home a victory for them."

I glance over at Gale, his shoulders stiff and eyes staring straight ahead. I cannot believe they just put a shot of Gale and I kissing up there for all of Panem to see. And for Katniss to see. She has no idea that Gale and I are seeing one another and this isn't exactly how I would've wanted her to find out.

My eyes find my father and instantly, I wish they hadn't. The look on his face let's me know he isn't pleased about this either. I quickly look away and focus on my hands in my lap. This isn't good. I didn't plan to keep my relationship with Gale secret from my father or from Katniss or anyone for that matter but there are ways and manners in which to do so. Plastering a picture of myself, lip locked with Gale for all of Panem isn't quite the way I'd planned it. And I have no idea how Gale feels about us being the image of celebration for 12.

And then Katniss's interview is over and it's Peeta's turn. He brings his own shock factor to the evening by professing his love for Katniss. He says he loves her! I have no idea if this is a ploy to gain sponsors or if he's serious but he sure seems to be telling the truth. The camera gets a shot of Katniss off to the side and the look on her face tells me she had no idea this was going to happen. She looks furious but like she's trying to hold in it because she knows everyone's watching her for a reaction.

The viewing ends and all I want to do is go find Gale and make sure he isn't upset about everything that just transpired in the viewing. I start making my way towards him but before I get there, my father steps in front of me.

"Young lady, you are to come with me right now." He says, taking me by the elbow and leading me towards home.

I try to crane my head and look back at Gale but my father is walking too quickly and I can't.

Once we reach our house, he leads me right to his office and shuts the door.

"We need to have a serious discussion young lady."

"I know it looked bad but Gale and I are …"

"Let me rephrase. This isn't a conversation. You are to sit there and to listen." He barks at me.

"You aren't making me very proud with the way you've been running around with that boy from the Seam. I expect more of you. The district expects more of you."

"We aren't running around! I am plenty old enough to be dating!" I argue back.

"You have an image to uphold and you know this! Do you think dating a boy like him portrays you in the light you wish to be seen in? All of Panem saw you with that boy!"

"There is nothing wrong with Gale Hawthorne. Being from the Seam doesn't make him a bad person." I insist through tears.

"But leaving the fence to poach off Capitol land does make him a criminal and your association with him will incriminate you as well!" He whispers through clenched teeth.

"He won't get caught, he never has!"

"That was before all eyes were on him! Before he was spending time with a very high profile girl! You are not to see him, do you hear me?"

I angrily fold my arms across my chest. "I can't stop seeing him. I won't, that's not fair!"

"Madge honey, you have to understand." He says softer now. "A relationship with this boy will only bring him more attention. It will only bring trouble for everyone. Date if you want, but pick a different boy. Pick one that isn't known for going against Capitol law."

"He's never gotten caught and anything he's ever done has only been for the purpose of trying to provide for his family."

My father sighs and rubs his hands over his face. "Madge, why must you argue this? I've said my thoughts on the matter and that should be the end of it."

"You aren't being fair. You're making a big deal about nothing. Nothing bad has happened and you have no reason to say I shouldn't date Gale."

"Do not come to dinner unless you can make yourself presentable. One look at those watery, red eyes and everyone will be suspicious and questions will be asked." He tells me firmly as he exits his office.

I angrily head to my bedroom and I'm beginning to wash my face in effort to make myself presentable when I decide I'd rather not. The very last thing I feel like doing right now is sitting at that dinner table. No, what I want is to go see Gale. I didn't even get to talk to him after the viewing.

I go down the service stairs to the kitchen and find Glennis in the kitchen.

"Glennis, I won't be attending dinner this evening. I'm not feeling well. Please make my apologies." I tell her and then turn, heading back up to my room. I don't even wait for her to respond.

In my room I pace back and forth, fuming and waiting for dinner to begin. As soon as it does, I slip back down the service staircase and out the back door. I know if my father checks my room and finds me missing, I'll be in trouble but I don't care. I'm so angry at him.

I'm on the path, making my way to the Seam, intent on finding Gale. I just need to see him. I manage to find his house just fine but hesitate before knocking on the door. I wipe my eyes and smooth my dress with my hands.

I climb the two rickety wooden steps to the porch and knock. After a minute, Gale's younger brother, Rory I think is his name, answers.

"Hi, is Gale home?" I ask, trying to smile though I know my face shows evidence of crying.

"Nah, he's out, not sure when he'll be back. Want me to give him a message or something?"

"No, that's okay. Thank you." I say, quickly turning and leaving.

Alone in the dark of the Seam, I try to decide what to do now. Should I go home? Or do I try and find Gale? His brother only said he was out, he didn't say where. The fence is still on so I know he isn't out in the woods. I passed the meadow on the way here and I know he wasn't there. He could be at a friend's house. Or he could be at the riverbed. I decide to check the riverbed and if he isn't there, I'll go home.

Getting through the weeds and brush is harder tonight because he isn't walking a step ahead of me to help forge a trail but I still manage. At the slope, I decide the best move is to slip off my shoes and carry them. I'm probably a lot less likely to slip and fall if I'm barefoot. The sharp rocks mixed in with the dirt cut against my feet but it's still easier than attempting it in my dressy shoes. At the bottom, I stop and look around. The moon isn't as full as it was last night so I can't see as far.

"Gale?" I call out hoping he's here, hidden in the dark.

"What are you doing here?" He calls back out to me.

I go towards where I hear his voice coming from and find him leaning against a big rock on the other side of the riverbed.

"I was looking for you." I tell him.

"Well you found me."

His reception isn't warm and it makes me think perhaps I've made a mistake in coming here. Still, I take a seat next to him.

"Would you rather I hadn't?" I ask as I swallow down the nervous feeling growing in my stomach.

"You disappeared pretty fast after the viewing." He says quietly.

"That's part of why I was looking for you. I'm sorry about that, I wanted to come find you but…"

"But your father wouldn't let you." He cuts me off.

"No, he wouldn't."

"And we're over, huh?"

"No." I say as the tears spring back to my eyes.

"He didn't forbid you to be with me?"

I sigh. "I am the only person who gets to decide who I want to be with."

"So did he or did he not tell you to stay away from me?"

"What does it matter? I'm here, telling you I want to be with you."

"It matters Madge."

Anger and hurt boiling over, I get back to my feet. "Fine. No, he doesn't think we should be together. He's worried being with you will put a spotlight on your sneaking outside the fence and get us all in trouble." I tell him as I head back for the other side of the riverbed.

I'm struggling to climb back up the slope when I hear him coming up behind me. I ignore him and keep going.

His hands find my waist and he pulls me back to the bottom, turning me towards him.

"Look, I'm sorry, I'm not trying to upset you. I just don't see how we can be together if he's against it."

"It doesn't matter to me what he thinks. He's just worried, especially after we were shown on camera kissing."

"Yeah, that was a bit of a surprise. So what happens when he finds out you didn't listen to him, that you saw me anyway?"

"I don't know but I don't care. He's just over reacting. Please don't end this before it's even really begun." I practically plead with him.

"Does he know you're here now?"

I shake my head. "No, they're having the tribute family dinner. I snuck out, said I didn't feel well."

"So I've already got you breaking rules and lying. How is this supposed to work? It was stupid of us to even think we could be together. You, the golden girl of the district with me, the troublemaker from the Seam." He scoffs.

"Just stop, okay? Stop and listen to me. What I feel for you isn't dictated to me by my father or the Capitol or anyone else. It's my decision who I wish to spend my time with and I want to be here, with you, right now." I say firmly one last time.

He's quiet but I feel his hands reach out and intertwine with mine. "Stay for awhile?" He finally whispers, his voice still flooded with sadness.

"I've got all night."

He sits and pulls me to sit with him. I lean against his side and feel his arm wrap around me. "My father will come around Gale. I know he will."

He kisses my temple but stays quiet. I know it must make him feel awful to have seen my father dragging me away from the viewing this afternoon and to hear that he doesn't want me spending time with Gale. And having our picture shown all over Panem probably wasn't the highlight of his day either.

"Do you think Katniss is angry about us?" I ask, thinking back to how she looked when she saw the image of us kissing.

"No, not angry. She was definitely surprised. I just hope between that and the love profession from that Peeta kid she doesn't lose her focus on what she's about to have to do tomorrow."

"I am really sorry those reporters snapped that picture of us. And I'm sorry of it was embarrassing for you."

He pulls back to look at me. "You think I'm embarrassed to be seen kissing you? Madge if that was the case, I never would've done it in the first place. I feel honored to get to kiss you. I love kissing you." And he kisses me, long and hard.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

**(Gale POV)**

It had been just a fantastic day. Woke up happy. Great lunch with Madge and my friends. Got a hefty sack full of scrap meats which was more than enough to feed my family and the Everdeens for the next couple days. Yep, I shoulda seen it coming. Anytime things get too feeling to easy, too comfortable or too good, that's when something shitty is coming straight for you.

At the viewing, Madge and I, thanks to those damn reporters, became the picture of celebration in 12 for all of Panem to see. And that included Katniss. Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not the least bit embarrassed to kiss her and have people see it. Wouldn't have kissed her otherwise. What I do have an issue with is being associated with a positive attitude about the games. And I'm not all sure it was the best way to let Katniss know about us either. Doubt she'd really have any issues with it or anything, but it's a distraction. She needs to be nothing but focused right now. And the thing I hate about pictures is the way they can tell a totally different story than what the truth is. Proof in the way that those reporters used our kiss as an example of support for the games and for Katniss. Sure, being happy she scored well put me in a good mood and all but kissing Madge will never have anything to do with the games.

Then, adding to the shockers of the viewing, that Peeta guy dropped a bomb saying he loved Katniss. And did she ever look ticked off! She was trying to hide it but I know her too well for that. Nope, my Catnip was fuming. And I think it's super that somebody thinks they love her but if that townie schmuck is playing games to distract her in the arena, he'd best hope he doesn't make it back here alive cause I'll kill him myself. And maybe he's for real. Maybe he's telling the truth. I don't know. But seriously, did he really think that was the best time to tell her? And clearly he doesn't know her at all if he thought announcing that to everyone was gonna make her happy.

And then, to top it off, I go to find Madge after the viewing and what do I see? Her father, angrily taking her by the arm and leading her home with a quickness. And I just knew it was over that kiss picture. I knew it. Could just feel it. And it wasn't as if I hadn't figured he'd be non too happy about Madge going out with a guy like me. Of course I'd already assumed he'd be hesitant about us. But the way he just took her home like that was just a huge wake up call about how our lives are completely different and how wrong I am for her. I mean, what could I offer her really? Seam parties and sitting around in dried out riverbeds or overgrown meadows? She's worth so much more than that.

Upset over all of it, I'd gone to the riverbed and stewed alone. I hadn't been there for more than an hour when I'd heard her coming down the other side of the slope. She was looking for me. I knew she was. I should've called out to her right away, before she had to call out in search of me but I couldn't. I wanted to. Wanted to just run over and hold on to her, kiss her and pretend it was acceptable for her to be with me. Once she did call out for me, I did answer though. And then she'd confirmed for me everything I already knew her father had said. He didn't want her with me. Not one bit. Trouble like me has no business with prestige like her.

What was a surprise was her outright defiance of her father's wishes. She'd snuck out just to even see me. Crying, telling me she didn't care what he thought. And there I sat, totally torn between what I knew she should do and what I really wanted her to do. I knew she should go home and never look back, forget all about us. But that isn't what any part of me truly wanted for her. I wanted her with me. In the end, I'd caved. Asked her to stay there with me for awhile. Told her what an honor it was to kiss her. And then I'd kissed her. Really, truly kissed the hell out of her. And she'd kissed me back. All the angst and annoyance of earlier erased momentarily with the touch of our lips.

And then we'd stayed out there for hours. Sometimes talking. Sometimes not. Her in my arms, holding her tight. Taking her home was incredibly hard. Neither of us wanted her to go. She only let me walk her to the meadow, not all the way to her house. I have no idea what kind of trouble she'll be in for sneaking out and seeing me. Tried to ask her about it but she just kept saying not to worry about it. Still, I wasn't able to sleep knowing that she might be paying the price for being with me.

This morning, it's Saturday and there isn't any school so I can't see her and make sure she's alright. I want to go see her but I know the last person her father wants coming to the door calling on her is me. So I'll have to wait for the viewing. But even then, I'm not sure what to do. I'll have to let her take the lead on it. If she comes to me, I'm all in. If she doesn't, I'll know I need to stay away so I don't cause more trouble for her.

And Katniss is worrying me too. In just a little bit she'll be entering the arena and it's game on. Fight to the finish. Life or death. God, please don't let it be death. The first day's the worst to watch. The start of the games is commonly called the bloodbath of the games. One year, it was so incredibly brutal that only 4 tributes survived the first hour. 20 kids dead in under an hour. The remaining 4 had lasted only a few more days before a victor won out. Honestly, I'm not sure which is the worst fate. To go quickly or to spend days on end in fear only to go out at the very end.

I busy my morning with work around the house and at the Everdeens. It doesn't keep my thoughts from churning but it does make the time pass a little faster.

At the viewing, I'm looking for Madge as soon as I get checked in. I don't see her though so I reluctantly take my seat with my family. Still, I keep looking, watching for her to arrive. Finally, I spot her in the check in line. And I want so badly to go over to her but I force myself not to. The last thing I would want is to make anything worse for her and I still don't know yet just how much trouble she's in. Finally she gets through the line and comes over to the seating area. Her eyes find me and lock with mine. She smiles and heads straight for me. My hopes soar. Perhaps she isn't iin trouble after all?

"Hey." I smile at her as she comes right up to where I'm sitting with my family and the Everdeens.

"Hi." She smiles back.

Posy, my little sister, butts right in and starts talking to Madge before I have a chance to ask her about anything.

"You're pretty." Posy informs her.

Madge smiles and squats down to her level. "Why thank you! And who might you be?"

"Posy." She tells her then points her thumb at me. "That's my brother Gale."

"Is he a good brother?" Madge engages her. I just watch. It's too cute.

Posy nods and then leans in and in her childlike whisper says all too loudly "He's my favorite one."

I glance over at my brothers. Neither heard her since they were busy talking but I still laugh. I'd taught her to say that almost as soon as she began talking. Drove Rory crazy which only made it all the more hysterical. Initially she'd only say it if you asked who her favorite brother was but eventually, she just started telling people unsolicited. Madge glances up at me knowingly then back at Posy.

"Well you're one lucky little lady to have such a great big brother." Then she stands and looks to me again. "Just wanted to say hi. I have to go find a seat before it starts."

"Wanna sit here?" Posy calls up to her.

Madge looks at her and then at me for a second. "You can if you want. Pose here always sits on my lap so we've got an extra seat on our row." I tell her, letting her know she's welcome.

"I'd love to." Madge finally says matter of factly and promptly settles herself into the chair next to me. Posy scampers into my lap.

"Everything go okay last night?" I lean over and whisper to her.

"He hasn't changed his mind but neither have I." She whispers back.

"Then what are you doing over here? You're gonna get in trouble!"

"Let me worry about that. I am exactly where I want to be." She tells me with firm resolve.

And then the music for the viewing begins, stopping me from being able to say anything further about it. I look over at her and find a satisfied smirk on her face because she knows I can't say another thing to her about it. I definitely never knew Madge had this kinda temperament about her. She's tougher than I imagined. I can't believe she's gonna stand against her father's wishes like this. And she's doing it for me. I reach over and take her hand in mine.

Once the viewing begins and they show all the tributes coming up from the tubes into the arena, my stomach flips and I think I might be sick. It's now. It's real and there isn't a thing in the world I can do to help Katniss right now. And I feel like I can't even breathe I'm so overtaken with nerves. The arena is good though. It's woodsy and that ought to work to her advantage since the woods here are second nature to her.

The gong sounds and everyone is off their pedestals in a flash. Except Katniss. She's distracted and for a few terrifying seconds she doesn't even move. RUN DAMNIT! I scream inside my head. When she finally finds focus and gets going, the blood bath is already beginning and she's gotta go right through it. I see her go for a backpack and she actually uses it to deflect a knife that a career kid launches at her. She's okay and she's hauling ass towards the woods. Thankfully, no one chases after her. She did it. She survived the blood bath. Now she just needs to get as far away as she can and hide like crazy. And water, if that backpack doesn't have water she'll need to find some as soon as she can. The cameras only follow her for a minute and then they only show us the blood bath since that's where all the killing is currently happening. I loose track of how many die today. All I know and all I can care about is the fact that my Catnip isn't one of them. She's somewhere in that arena, but she's alive and breathing.

By the time it's finally over for today, I've squeezed Madge's hand so tight that all the blood has drained out of it and it's completely white. "Sorry." I choke out as I let it go.

She just shakes her head as if not to worry about it and takes a deep breath. I'm sure her nerves are doing a number on her too. I reach for her hand again and kiss the back of it. "She's over the first hurdle." She whispers aloud.

"She did good. It's a good start." I reaffirm.

**(Madge POV)**

I don't even notice that I can't feel my fingers. Gale's clenched my hand so tightly that my hand's have gone white but I too was so nervous that I didn't even notice. He doesn't let go until the viewing screen flickers off. We don't get up right away. Both still too shaky with nerves to get up just yet. I'm almost completely unaware of of everyone around me. All I can think about is Katniss. Just because the screen has flickered off, doesn't mean she's safe. The game is still happening even when we're not watching live. Right now, she could be safe or she could be in danger. We won't know until the next viewing. Or I can listen to my radio and hope they say something in the feeds that play round the clock.

"You wanna go somewhere we can talk?" Gale asks.

"Yeah, let's get out of here." I tell him as he pulls me to my feet. I know he wants to know how things faired at home last night with my father.

We go to the riverbed again. It's sort of becoming our own private space. Once we're down at the bottom of it, he leans against a large stone and I nestle up to his side.

"So, how'd last night go? Did you talk to your father again?"

"He was waiting up for me when I came in. We did have a very lengthy conversation about everything."

"But he still doesn't want you to see me?"

"No. He was very angry I'd gone to see you and that I'd skipped the dinner. He doesn't care that you're from the Seam. His concern is about how you leave the fence. He's so worried that you'll get caught and take me down with you. I tried to tell him that you're really careful, that you never get caught. He wouldn't listen though. He just kept saying that by dating me, you'll be in the spotlight so much more than you are without me. He's afraid more people will take notice of you with me at your side."

"I would never let you get caught up in anything that would get you in trouble."

"I respectfully stood my ground though. I told him that I understood his concerns and honestly, I do. But I also told him that he doesn't get to decide who I allow to be a part of my life and who I don't. I made it clear that I have no intention of breaking things off with you."

"And you guys just left it at that? He's letting you do what you want?"

"We just left it at that. For now. I assume he'll have more to say soon enough."

"And you aren't going to be punished for going against his wishes?"

"Not right now. I think he's at that wait and see what happens sort of point. Like he might sit back, see if we fizzle out on our own. You know?"

"I can't see that happening." He murmurs against my temple and I feel his lips press against my skin.

"Me neither." I whisper back as I turn my face to his, wanting to kiss him. He kisses me and his fingertips brush my cheeks.

"And you're sure about going against him on this?" He asks, his forehead leaning against mine.

"Being with you feels right to me. It doesn't make any sense on the surface but underneath all that, we make sense to me."

He pulls me closer to him and I reposition myself onto his lap, my arms looped around his neck. Kisses pepper my face and then linger on my lips. Each press of his lips sending tiny thrills through me, leaving me wanting more. When his lips travel away from mine and move along my jaw and onto my neck a whole new sensation shoots through me and a sigh escapes my lips.

I've been kissed before but never like this. Never had this feeling before. This desirous want for someone. For him. I tilt my head, exposing more of my neck for him. His hands holding firm to my waist, his lips move with more furor, eliciting another sigh. All my worries for Katniss, all my struggles with my father slip from my mind and all I know is I don't ever want this blissful feeling to leave me.


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

**(Gale POV)**

The rain's been coming down for hours. Started late last night as I was coming home from walking Madge back to town. The thunder is full on booming and rain's pouring down but we're all still expected at the viewing. And I want to go, just to check on Katniss and make sure she survived the night. I don't however want to sit in the rain. Most of the townie's will have umbrellas and it won't be a huge deal. Seam folks will have to walk through coal swirled mud and gravel just to get into town and almost none of us own any type of rain gear.

I help my mother by carrying Posy on my shoulders. She's not bothered by the rain but she does get a little freaked by the thunder and covers her ears. Rory grumbles about having to go sit in the rain and Vick just sort of looks annoyed but doesn't complain out loud. I know my mother's main concern will be one of the kids getting sick.

In town, everyone looks downright miserable. The check in stations are covered of course but all the seating is all out in the open, rainwater pooling in the seat of every chair. On the Stage, there's a cover over the row of seats for the Mayor and his small circle of staff. Umbrellas dot the audience, identifying where town people are sitting. I don't see Madge anywhere yet but likely she's somewhere dry indoors, waiting until the last minute to get here. I know that's what I'd do if I lived right next to the viewing.

As my family and I take our seats, Madge comes up from behind us. She's fully clad in head to toe rain gear. Bright pink rain boots with matching pink slicker and umbrella. It's adorable on her. Like she stepped out of one of those shop catalogs or something.

"Hi! I come bearing gifts!" She announces as she holds out two, large, black umbrellas.

"Madge, you didn't need to bring us anything. We're fine. It's just a little rain." I tell her with a sigh. I love how thoughtful she was in bringing them but I can't deny it bothers me that she had to bring them because we can't afford such luxuries ourselves.

"Don't be ridiculous. It's raining cats and dogs out here! Besides, they're just a couple extras we keep on hand for guests." She insists as she hands one to my brother and the other to my mother who gives her a most thankful look of gratitude. She then takes her seat next to me and holds her own umbrella over our heads.

"Madge" I begin before she looks up at me and cuts me off.

"Gale, it's just a loan of a couple umbrellas." She tells me.

"Thank you. I know my mother will appreciate it."

"Just your mother?" She asks with a raised brow.

"Okay, fine. Me too." I concede and plant a kiss on her temple. She rewards me with a smile. Loan or not, it does still feel like a form of charity but at the same time, Madge was thoughtful in thinking of my family when she didn't have too.

"She's still okay." Madge leans in and whispers.

"She is?"

"Mhmm. I was listening to the broadcast station earlier."

Relief floods through me and I feel an invisible weight lift from my shoulders. "That is so good to hear."

"I can hardly stand to listen to it but at the same time, I can't handle waiting for the afternoon viewings to let me know how she is. It's awful." Madge whispers.

"Promise me something? If you're ever listening and …well, if you ever hear anything, can you come find me? I just…" I swallow the lump in my throat just even thinking about it. If anything happens to Catnip, I don't want to find out with all of 12 watching me.

"Gale, I'll make sure you know anything substantial as soon as I hear about it. No matter what time it is or what's going on, I'll come for you, I promise." Her voice serious and unwavering.

I wrap my arm around her, hugging her closer to me. I love how much she understands how hard it is for me to watch Katniss in the games. I feel so lucky to have her right now.

The viewing confirms what Madge already told me. Katniss is just fine. For now. It did reveal that the Careers are out to get her. I kinda figured that would happen after her big score and all. What I didn't figure on was old lover baker boy teaming up in the hunt for her. He's straight up helping them look for her. Course, they'd been right under her in the night as she hid out in a tree and they'd been none the wiser. She'd seen him with them. Heard all about him helping to look for her. And I'm glad. If they run into one another in there, I want her to know that he is an enemy, not an ally. He may have been trying to fool her with that whole love story during the interview but now she knows the truth and she'll know not to trust him.

After the viewing, my mother goes to hand Madge back the umbrella but she won't take it. "Just keep it for the walk home. I'll get it back from Gale tomorrow or whenever it finally stops raining." She tells her with the wave of her hand.

"Do you have plans this evening?" Madge asks me turning to me, still holding her pink umbrella over us.

"We can't go to the riverbed, Madge. Not with all this rain."

"Not the riverbed." She says with a sneaky curve to her smile.

"Okay, where?" I ask, my hands resting on the waist of her pink rain slicker.

"My house?" Her face hopeful and eager.

Instantly, I recoil at the idea. I can't go inside her house like this. I'm in wet clothing. Coal and mud cover my boots and about three inches of the hem of my pants. And even if I weren't a mess, I'd still be really uncomfortable at the idea of being in her house. "I don't know if that's the best idea." I tell her uneasily.

Her face falls and I know I'm disappointing her but I just can't go over there like this. I can't.

"All the Capitol reporters are gone. It's just me. My father probably won't even be there."

I smile down at her attempt to persuade me. "I'm a soaking wet, muddy mess. No way am I going to your house like this."

"But I really wanted to hang out with you." She nearly pouts.

I tap my finger over her bottom lip. She looks so darn cute, I just can't let her down and I myself would like nothing more than to spend some time with her. "What if I come over and we just sit out on your porch? That way I won't dirty up your fancy house."

"The porch works for me!" She says with a gleeful grin.

"Alright, lead the way."

At her house, we go around back and sit on her back porch. It's covered so the rain isn't pouring down on us but it's still not as private as the riverbed would be if we could've gone there. And it still feels like any second a Capitol person or her father will come around the corner any second.

"Stay here, I'll be right back." Madge tells me as she disappears through the screen door.

A few minutes later she's back with a fluffy white towel under her arm and a silver domed tray in the other hand.

"Here." She says as she hands me the towel and sets the tray down on a little table.

I look down at how messy I am and then at the very white towel. "Thanks but I'll ruin the towel if I use it. Seam mud has a lot of coal in it and that doesn't go well with white."

"It's just a towel, let's not make a bigger deal out of it than it really is. You're all wet and it might be nice to dry off." She says.

I know she won't give in so I hesitantly go ahead and use it. As I rub it over my head to dry my face and hair, I get a whiff of how clean and fresh it smells. My mother can do laundry like nobody's business but even still, our stuff never smells this fresh. Or felt this soft for that matter. After I dry off the rest of me, still avoiding the muddiest parts of my pant legs, I give Madge the towel back. She doesn't even glance at. Just throws it over the back of one of the chairs and then gestures to the little table.

"Are you hungry? Glennis always makes me dinner and leaves it for me." She asks as she lifts a silver dome to reveal a plate of spaghetti and meatballs with garlic bread and salad.

"Your dad not eating dinner tonight?" I ask as my mouth begins to water at the sight of all that food.

"He'll probably eat at his office. When we don't have company, he usually works late."

"So you just sit here all by yourself?"

"Yes, but that's alright. I'd rather that than have all those guests." She tells me as she twirls pasta around her fork.

"So I guess the fence is off then?" I say in a low voice.

She shrugs. "I assume so. The reporters left first thing this morning."

"I haven't checked the fence because of the storm."

She stops eating and looks at me. "Aren't you at all hungry?"

Yes. I'm starving. So much so it actually makes my stomach hurt. But I can't eat her food. I just can't.

"Nah, I'm good." I say casually. A split second later, my stomach growls and gives me away as a liar. She just looks at me.

"You know, it isn't a crime to share a meal with me."

"I don't take food I haven't earned." I explain.

"Gale, when someone invites you over and offers you dinner, it's rude not to partake."

"I'm not declining to be rude and you know it."

"True. But I also know that you are in fact hungry and you should just eat some of this delicious dinner with me." She smiles as she holds out a forkful of spaghetti for me.

I reluctantly open my mouth and let her feed me the bite. It is delicious, she wasn't kidding. I've never actually had spaghetti before. Seen it, but never tasted it. And maybe I'm just so hungry that anything would taste good but this is damn good dinner.

"It's good, right?" She says with an I-told-you-so grin.

"It's not entirely terrible."

"You have more pride than anyone I've ever met. You know that?" She laughs shaking her head as she pushes a fork in my direction.

After we've finished off her dinner, we sit on the swing. It's dark out now but still pouring down rain. Sitting here with her curled up against my side, full belly, and listening to the rain fall. It's almost peaceful.

"Tell me something, if you hadn't been all muddy from walking through the rain on your way into town, would you have come inside my house when I invited you?"

"I dunno." I tell her though deep down I think we both know I would've still found a way to say no. Heck, sitting on the porch is more than I ever expected I'd be able to do.

She's quiet for awhile and then asks "Why does my house make you so uncomfortable? It's just a house."

"Yeah, a gigantic, fancy Capitol house."

She sits up straight. "It's still just a house. Wood and plaster. Windows. Floors."

"Well maybe I'll show you my house sometime and then you'll see the difference." I joke with her. Just picturing her standing inside my dinky little overcrowded shack of a house is difficult to imagine.

She stands up. "Come on. I want you to come inside and I don't care if you're pants have mud on them."

"I am not about to track mud all through anyone's house."

"Boots off, you can leave them by the back door. Wipe your pants off with that towel." She commands.

"This is silly Madge…" I start and then stop when she folds her arms over her chest. She may be a tiny little thing but she's relentless when she wants to be. And something about her makes it incredibly hard to say no to.

I kick off my boots and ruin her towel as I wipe coal and mud off my pants. And then stand up to follow her inside. The first room we're in is a kitchen. A huge, sparkling clean kitchen. She leads me to a dimly lit staircase at the back corner of the kitchen. I always pictured her house to have some sort of grand staircase, not this. Once up a flight of stairs though, I realize we just took a different staircase than the real one. Must be one for maids or something. I don't ask though.

She leads me down a hallway with huge paintings hanging on the walls in heavy frames. The floor is covered in cream colored plush carpet that feels like silk between my toes. At the end of the hallway she opens a door and we go in.

"Is this your room?" I ask as I try not to let my mouth hang open. It's larger than my entire house and more fancy than I ever imagined it would be.

"Yes. But no wise cracks about how it looks. I didn't get to pick out anything in here." She warns. "Besides, I didn't bring you up here to talk about my room." She adds as she shuts the door behind us.

"And just why did you bring me up here?" I tease as I pull her a little towards me.

"Because I can't kiss you like this on the porch." She breathes as she reaches up, looping her arms around my neck and kisses me.

We make our way over to a velvet covered sofa and I sit back on it. She places herself on my lap, still kissing me. Her hands tangling in my hair. Mine gripping tightly to her waist. She leans more into our kiss and her top shifts, exposing my fingers to her bare skin. Never has the simple touch of someone's skin filled me with such wanting as hers does now. It takes every ounce of restraint I have to contain myself. I let my lips flirt along her neck, breathing in the sweet smell of her hair. The lightest of sighs escapes her and my hands take on a mind of their own, my mind no longer able to control them. They slide upwards under the back of her top, grazing over her skin and pulling her closer against me. My hands begin to wander and moments later, she pulls back.

"Sorry. Got carried away." I mumble, instantly worried I've freaked her out. She isn't going to be like the other girls I've fooled around with. And I know she's dated a boy or two in town but never once have I heard any of the guys in school talk about doing anything with her. It's most likely very new territory for her.

"No, I'm sorry. I'm just not ready for more than kissing." She says quietly, her face crimson red as if she's embarrassed to tell me that. I'm positive my reputation hasn't helped the matter. She shifts off my lap and onto the sofa next to me.

"I'm happy just kissing you." I tell her, hoping to ease her embarrassment.

She still looks mortified with her cheeks deep red and wringing her hands in her lap. And I feel downright awful for taking it too far and causing her to feel this way.

I reach over and drape my arm around her, hugging her against my side. "So, tell me about why you hate this room so much." Maybe changing the subject will help.

"It's okay I guess. It just feels so formal is all."

"Where do all these doors go?" I ask, suddenly realizing there are doors on every wall.

"What?" She asks finally looking up from her lap.

I point. "The doors. Where do they lead?"

She gives me a funny look. "Well, the one you're pointing at leads to my closet."

Closets. Right. We don't have those in the Seam houses. "Oh. Can I see it?"

Now she really looks at me funny. "You want to look in my closet?"

I shrug. "We don't have them. Never seen one outside of school and those are just for supplies and stuff."

Still with the funny look, she gets up and walks over, opening the door. I cannot believe what my eyes are seeing. Her closet is nearly the size of my house. And it's floor to ceiling shelves and racks are filled with more clothing than I've ever seen in my life. "Whoa." I say as I stand in awe. No wonder more girls don't like her. Probably jealous as hell.

"It's just clothes." She says quietly and suddenly I'm concerned I've embarrassed her in a whole new way.

"What's behind door number two over there?" I ask turning my attention to the next door.

She stifles a laugh. "My bathroom."

She has her own bathroom? Attached to her bedroom? Geez, if I lived her I'd never leave the room!

"You want to see it don't you?" She asks still trying not to laugh.

"I mean, I kinda feel like I should." I joke.

"Be my guest." She gestures for the door.

I walk over and carefully turn the crystal doorknob. Inside I find a marble floored room with a giant clawfoot tub with a chandelier hanging high over it. One wall is lined with marble counters with a little seat like area and mirror. The counters are filled with all kinds of products and there are fresh flowers in a large crystal vase. We don't even have running water in the Seam. This is insane.

"Alright, finally time for door number 3." I say as I point at the double doors on the far wall, opposite the door we entered through.

"That's the best one." She says as she takes my hand and leads me over to it. When she opens it, we walk through and suddenly we're outside. The balcony. The one you can see from the front of the house if you look up from town.

"This is my favorite part of my room." She says as she smiles up at me.

"Quite a view you've got here." I tell her as I gaze out over all of the town portion of 12. You can see practically everything from here. I sit down in the rocking chair and pull her to sit with me. When she doesn't hesitate, I know her embarrassment from earlier has faded and that we're okay. She comfortably sits in my lap and leans against my chest as I wrap my arms around her.

"I love sitting out here at night when it's all quiet in town."

"It was you watching me after the reaping wasn't it?" I ask her as I remember back to that night when I'd noticed I was being watched.

"It wasn't intentional at first. I'd been out here, trying to clear my head and saw someone sitting on the steps of the stage. When I realized it was you…you just looked so sad and I couldn't help but watch. It was like you were feeling all the same things I was, but worse."

I hug her a little tighter and kiss the top of her head. "Yeah, I wasn't doing so good. Being with you helps that though. It's like what you just said about us feeling the same thing. It's true. And it helps." I tell her.

"It does, doesn't it?" She whispers in somber agreement.

**_A/N: I know this was kind of a long fluff chapter but it's leading somewhere, I promise._**


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

**(Madge POV)**

I really felt as if it were all my fault. That I'd led him on by bringing him up to my room and kissing him the way I did. I couldn't blame him one bit for taking it further than just kissing. And he's Gale Hawthorne of course and from what I know of the girl's he used to spend time with, a lot more than kissing was happening. So of course he thought nothing was wrong with touching me. It felt euphoric having him kiss my neck, feeling his hands against my bare skin. And for a small moment, I hadn't minded. I couldn't think straight enough to mind. But then I did think and I had to pull back. I've only been dating Gale for a very, very short time and while I really like him a lot, I'm not yet sure how I feel about us taking things any further in the physical aspect of our relationship.

Mostly, I think I'm just scared. Scared because it's all new to me. Scared because it's Gale. I don't feel like he's treating me like all the other girls he was with but then again, I can't say for certain what transpired in private moments between him and those girls. For all I know, he treated them just like he's treating me. And again, I don't think it's that way with he and I but it just feels too soon for me to take that risk.

I'd been so embarrassed by pulling back but I was glad I did. He didn't seem upset about it all either, which was comforting to see. He'd even made a ridiculous attempt at changing the subject to distract me. He looked at my closet and my bathroom. Seemed genuinely amazed at them. It was so unusual for someone to want to see my closet that I couldn't help but be slightly amused. Same with the bathroom. We'd ended up out on my balcony, right as the rain finally stopped. Out there, he'd sat with me on his lap, his arms holding me tightly as we looked out over the town. For someone I never used to even speak to, it's baffling how easy it feels when I'm with him.

After Gale left, I'd layed in bed, daydreaming about what it would've been like to have not stopped him when I did. I'd even fallen asleep thinking about him. It's Monday now and I'll get to see him at school during lunch. I roll over in bed and look at the sunlight streaming through the curtains. He's probably already out in the woods. I'm glad all the Capitol guests have gone so the fence can be turned off again and he can go back to hunting. I know how crucial it is for him to be able to get out there and how his family depends on it.

I rush through my morning routine of getting ready and having breakfast in the hopes that if I arrive a smidge early for school I can see him in the halls before classes begin. I do manage to get there early but fail to locate him before I have to go to class. I figure he probably spent as much time as possible out in the woods though so he was likely cutting it close getting here himself.

At lunch, my heart sinks a little when he fails to show there either. I guess he took the entire day off school so that he could get more accomplished out there. I end up sitting alone at my old table and mostly just picking at my lunch as I daydream about what it is he's doing out there right now.

After school lets out, I go home to find an irritated Glennis.

"That was quite a mess you left me on the back porch and I don't know what you did to that towel but I doubt it'll ever come clean again."

Crap. I'd forgotten to bring in my dishes and clean up the mud on the porch last night before I went to bed. And I'd definitely meant to dispose of that towel. I'd been so lost in my daydreams that I'd completely forgotten about it. "I'm so sorry for that. It slipped my mind. I never meant to leave such a mess for you to clean up." I tell her apologetically.

"Wouldn't have been such a problem had your father not seen it first. But, it's all cleaned now. Next time though, I'd appreciate it if you'd be a little more responsible."

Crap. My father found the mess first? That won't go over well at all. And I'm sure Glennis ended up with a lecture about how she needed to do a better job. All because I was careless and forgot to clean up after myself. Glennis cleans up after me regularly but I am expected to do my part. Dishes in the sink, laundry in the hamper, that sort of thing.

Hopefully, I wouldn't encounter my father today. I wanted no part of whatever lecture might be coming my way. I disappear up the back stairs and into my room until it's time to go to the viewing. Seeing Gale is all I truly want to do right now and I can't wait to see him.

**(Gale POV)**

I wake up before dawn so I can get out in the woods. Now that the Capitol people have all gone home, the fence will be off and I can finally hunt again. Unfortunately it also means my temporary job at the butcher's is over too since he won't be busy enough to need me anymore. But, I should still be fine. If I use my spare time wisely, I can get some serious hunting accomplished.

I'm only about a foot away from the fence when I freeze. It's not off. I can hear the surge of electricity shooting through it. I stand, staring at it, not understanding. I know for a fact all the Capitol guests are gone because I was at Madge's house just a few hours ago. Hell, I was in her house. I know they're gone. So why is the fence on? It's never on when they aren't here. The earliest train into 12 won't even be here for another hour so I know that no one new could've arrived.

I go back home to look and see what we have left in our food supply. Maybe the fence will turn off later today. Maybe her father just hasn't had time to do it yet. I think we have enough for one more day but I'm not sure.

In the kitchen I find a severely bare cupboard. A cup of oatmeal, maybe a little less. One cup of grain, a spoonful of oil, 3 small scraps of meat. That means if the fence doesn't turn off today, I won't be eating at all today. Neither will my mother. When food supply is short, she and I are always the first to do without. We'd never eat if it meant the kids couldn't.

My mother must hear me in the kitchen because she comes out of the bedroom and over to where I stand with our meager rations before me.

She sighs. "It's going to be a long day."

"I tried to go hunt but the fence was still on." I tell her.

"Still have visitors in town?" She asks as she begins to make the oatmeal for the kid's breakfast.

"Nuh-uh. I was in Madge's house last night. They're all gone. I think maybe they just haven't had time to turn it back off yet?"

Her forehead creases a bit as she ponders this. "That could be possible. And are you finished with the work at the butcher's?"

"Yeah. I think I'm gonna skip school today and try to keep checking the fence. If I don't get out there today, nobody gets to eat tomorrow and that includes the Everdeens."

She nods. "I'll see if I can get any extra wash loads too."

She gets the kids fed and off to school and I go to sit near the fence so I can hear it the second it turns off. I find a spot and sit in the mud against a wide tree trunk. I doubt anyone will see me here. And even if they do, all they can bust me for is skipping school.

I sit for the entire day and not once does the fence power down. Hunger pangs roll in around early afternoon. Doesn't matter though because I haven't got a single thing to eat. It's almost time for me to go to the viewing so I head back home to meet up with my family. I can't believe the damn fence is still on. I freeze dead in my tracks when I see two peacekeepers waiting at my house. It can't be for cutting classes. I've skipped plenty before and never had Peacekeepers at my door.

"Mr. Hawthorne, we've been waiting for you." One of them says with his monotone voice.

I clear my throat. "What can I do for you?"

"You'll need to come with us." He tells me without any elaboration.

I can't breathe suddenly, like all the air has been suctioned right out of my lungs. Where are they taking me and for what reason? I haven't left the fence in more than a week so it couldn't possibly be for hunting, could it? I swallow and nod at them and walk alongside them. It's a long, terrifying walk into town giving my mind ample time to panic over what I possibly could be in trouble for.

They walk me into the justice building and up the stairs. My heart is racing and it's taking all I have not to completely panic right now. They lead me to an empty conference type room and then leave the room. I'm busy trying to guess who is coming to talk to me when the door opens and in walks Madge's father. He comes right over to the table and sits down across from me. No one else is in the room. Just me. Just him.

"Mayor Undersee." I say with a nod, trying not to let my voice reveal my fear.

"Thank you for coming to meet me Mr. Hawthorne. This shouldn't take up much time."

Thank you for coming? What, like I had some sort of choice or something? I just nod at him and silently beg for him to get on with it already.

"As I'm certain my daughter has informed you, I do not condone the budding relationship between the two of you."

So this is about Madge and me. I stare at him, waiting for him to continue.

"And as you also are aware, she's decided to disregard my feelings on the matter and has chosen to continue seeing you."

I stay completely still and expressionless. I do not like where the sound of this is heading.

"I'd hoped the matter would resolve itself but I've discovered that it in fact has not. And that leaves me to have to think of an alternative course of action."

Still, I stare straight ahead.

"Mr. Hawthorne, I like to think of myself as a business man and I come to you now, with a business proposition for you."

Foolishly, for a fleeting second, I think he's about to offer me some sort of employment to keep me from risking going out in the woods.

"It's well known that you frequently leave the fence to hunt."

"I have to feed my family and I'm too young to go in the mines yet." I finally say, trying to defend myself.

"Yes, yes. I completely understand. In fact, your dedication to being the provider for your family is quite admirable." He says with a wave of his hand. It sounds as if he's understanding my reasons but something in his tone tells me he isn't being genuine.

"In fact, it's your notable dedication to feeding so many mouths that gave me the idea for this proposition. I realize that you being able to hunt is reliant upon your ability to leave the fence. I however, control the fence."

He pauses, staring back at me. His eyes have an evil gleam to them as if he already knows he's going to come out the winner in this whole thing.

"You're more than welcome to continue dating my daughter for as long as your little hearts desire. However, during that time, the fence will remain activated. Or you can make the wise decision to terminate the relationship before it develops further and the fence will return to it's usual, unpowered state."

My stomach lurches. He's forcing me to choose between Madge and my family.

"Take a few moments and think about it before you make a final decision. I'll just give you some time to weigh out your options. Excuse me." He says as he stands and leaves me alone in the room again.

What am I supposed to do? Obviously I have real feelings for Madge. Hell, I really think I'm falling hard for her. But I can't let my family starve. I can't be that selfish. No matter how much I care for her, my family depends on me alone to keep them alive and fed. I just can't continue with Madge. Mayor Undersee may be acting as if I have a choice but we both know damn good and well that I don't. That's why he seemed so smug. He knew I didn't have a choice.

It isn't long before the door opens again and he returns, still smug as ever.

"Have we come to a decision ?"

Feeling as if I might puke and feeling the anger surging through me, I force myself to nod.

"And what choice have you made son?"

Son? What audacity this manipulative bastard has! Force me not to date his daughter by making it impossible to feed my family if I keep seeing her? And now he wants to call me son?

Seething, I force an audible answer. "My family has always been my first priority."

"As well they should be, as well they should be. You've made a very wise choice and I commend you for that. You have my word that the fences will be deactivated within the hour."

I just stare at him. He's leaving the room and suddenly stops, turning back. "Oh, and one more small detail Mr. Hawthorne. You are not to mention any portion of this discussion with anyone, particularly with my daughter. When you end things with her, I suggest you make it convincing."

And then he's gone. Leaving me angry and alone. I leave the room and go downstairs, taking them slowly, one at a time. Everyone will be on the other side of these doors getting ready to watch today's viewing. I cannot go out there and break up with Madge in front of all these people. Not all public like this. My only choice is wait until the very last second to check in and take my seat. If Madge is already seated with my family, I'll just sit elsewhere. If she's sitting in her old spot, I'll sit with my family. Then after, I'll somehow find the words or actions necessary to break it off with her.


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

**(Madge POV)**

I get to the viewing and immediately start scanning the crowds for Gale. I hope he was able to get plenty of food in the woods today. Surely he did since he didn't even come to school. I spot the Hawthorne family but not Gale. He must not be here yet. I'm not sure if I should go over and sit with them as I wait for Gale or not. I linger near the check in stations, waiting for him to come through but he never does. With only a minute or so until the viewing, I have to go ahead and take my seat so I decide to go ahead and sit with the Hawthornes. Surely Gale will be here any second. He has too, it's mandatory.

I take a seat by the Hawthornes and exchange polite hellos with his mother. Her face seems strained, like she's worried about something maybe. Is it Gale? Does she not know where he is either? Then again, maybe it's nothing at all. Maybe she's just tired.

As the anthem begins to play and the screen lights up in front of us, Gale still hasn't come in. Something must be terribly wrong. I turn my head and look back at the rows of seats behind me. Did he sit somewhere else? Had I missed him checking in? Finally, my eyes fall on him, several rows back. Relief floods through me when I realize he is here and that nothing is wrong. It's short lived though as it's almost immediately replaced by confusion. Why would he sit back there? Didn't he see me waiting for him over here with his family? He always sits here. Even before he and I were together, he always sat with his family. I tell myself he must have slipped in at the absolute last second and didn't have time to get to his normal seat up here at the front. Yes, that would make perfect sense.

Still, all through the viewing, whenever possible, I turn to look back at him, trying unsuccessfully to make eye contact. He just stares straight ahead at the screen but not in a way that suggests he's watching it, more as if he's staring straight through it. He never once looks over my way. Not one time. I spend the entire time trying to fight off the sinking feeling that something is wrong.

As soon as the viewing ends, I'm on my feet and headed in his direction. When I reach him, I go to take his hand but he suddenly shoves his hands into his pants pockets as if to keep me from taking them. And he isn't greeting me.

"Hi, missed you at school today." I say attempting to sound chipper and hide my worry.

"Come on, I need to talk to you, but not here." He says without looking me in the eye and then he starts towards the meadow.

After a few seconds, my feet follow behind him. My heart is starting to pound inside my ears. He's acting so strange and I don't understand it. When we reach the meadow, he walks deep into it and then stops, staring out beyond the fence at the woods. And he says nothing.

"What's going on Gale?" I finally ask him.

"I don't think you and I should keep seeing each other." He finally says. His voice flat and he still stares straight ahead.

I fight back tears with everything I have. He's breaking up with me? Already? Why? "I don't understand…" I choke out.

"C'mon, we make a terrible couple and it was stupid to even try out in the first place." He tells me. His jaw is firm and tight, like it's clenched in annoyance or in anger.

I can't stop the tears that spring forward now. I don't even know what to say. I just stare at him, tears flowing, at a total loss for words. I cannot believe this is happening. When I fail to say anything, he just turns and heads towards the Seam, leaving me standing there in the meadow, crying and alone.

**(Gale POV)**

As soon as I'm out of her sight, I literally get sick. Making her cry like that, breaking her heart and not being able to explain it to her? Having to leave her, standing there stunned and upset? It ripped me up to have to do it. I just kept telling myself that I didn't have a choice, that my family's lives depend on me ending it with her. I'll never forgive her father for manipulating me like that. He couldn't get Madge to do what he wanted her to so he figured out the most underhanded way to achieve the outcome he desired. And he'll get to walk away from all this with his hands looking clean. Me, I'm the one coming out as the asshole. The worst part is I know she's going to think that I ended it with her because she stopped us from fooling around last night. And that isn't it all. But I know she'll always wonder if it is. And I'll never be able to tell her the truth.

And even if I did dare to tell her the truth, to let her know what her father did, would she even believe me? I never thought of Mayor Undersee as pure evil until today. And would she be able to understand the reason I couldn't choose to be with her? She's never known real hunger. Never had to scrimp and skip meals. Never had to provide for anyone. So would she be able to know, to truly grasp the gravity of the situation? I don't know.

All I know is that I must have been falling for her much harder than I'd thought because the ache in my heart is so much worse than I imagined it would be. I knew it would hurt. I had no clue it would hurt this much. In the minute before I actually broke up with her, I'd stared out at the woods and wished there was another way for me to provide for my family and still have her too. But that isn't the case. If it were, I long since would've found a different way to provide.

My mother is waiting for me on the front porch when I get home.

"What happened with the peacekeepers Gale? Are you in trouble?"

It never even occurred to me that she had seen them waiting for me to come home. Probably watched me walk off with them. "Mayor Undersee wanted to speak with me."

Her face takes on a new look of concern. "Gale, you didn't cross any lines with his daughter did you?"

I shake my head and feel the urge to fight back tears. "No. He just wanted to let me know that if I expected to keep providing for our family, I couldn't keep dating Madge."

"What?"

"I date her and the fence stays on."

"Oh Gale." She says softly as her hand comes up to her mouth.

I don't want her to feel guilty for not being able to provide on her own so I downplay the rest of it. "It's fine. We only went out a couple times, wasn't even getting serious yet. Broke it off with her after the viewing."

"I'm so sorry."

I shrug my shoulders. "It is what it is. But do me a favor and don't mention any of this to her or anyone else. I'm not supposed to tell anyone about my conversation with the Mayor."

She nods.

"I'm gonna go for a walk. I'll be back later."

I end up down at the riverbed which is more mud than dirt from all the recent rain. I don't care. I climb down in it and walk a ways. A numb feeling fills me and I finally let a few tears fall. What kills me the most is knowing how much I hurt Madge today. She didn't deserve that. I should've been allowed to tell her why we couldn't be together. She deserved an honest explanation. After a few hours later, I head home and fall face first into my pillow and sleep. Drained and angry and exhausted.

The next morning, I see that Mayor Undersee did in fact uphold his promise and the fence is back off. The worst part is that I can't even be happy about it. He took away a girl that made me very happy and now the woods feel tainted too. How can I ever be happy out here again when I know it was at the expense of Madge's heart? I move on auto-pilot sort of as I go about setting snares.

At school, I spend the entire morning dreading lunchtime. I know it'll be incredibly difficult to not look at her. Ignoring her is the best thing to do but it's so cruel and unfair. Still, I'll have to do my best to give her the impression that I've moved on. That she doesn't mean anything to me.

In the cafeteria, I plop myself down at a table full of girls and do my best to turn on my flirtatious charm. I manage to pull it off but it feels very forced and not at all smooth like I used to be able to do it. All around me girls giggle and smile, vying for my attention. A few ask about me and Madge, wanting to know if we're over. I play it off as if we were never anything serious. The whole lunch though, I have to fight with myself not to turn and look at the table on the other side of the room where I know she's sitting, watching and wondering where it all went wrong.

At the viewing, it's even more difficult to fight my urge to look at her. I falter and allow myself a glance in her direction. She's so still. Sitting straight up, eyes focused on the screen. Her hair and makeup are flawless. Clothes too. She looks so poised and perfect. But it's phony. It's the same way she looked in that interview she did in that red dress. Real Madge never looks that confident though. I look away.

The next day at school though, in the hallway by the bathrooms, I see something that completely sends me reeling, aching to rush to her side, to tell her everything and beg her to come back to me.

**(Madge POV)**

I thought the first day would be the worst. I was wrong. I'd almost not come to school at all but decided I may as well get it over with. Couldn't hide my face forever. I did spend a considerable amount of time painting my face with makeup and styling my hair. I may feel lower than I ever have before but I refuse to let him see me that way.

I hadn't slept at all. Not one single minute was I able to sleep. Mostly I went back and forth between anger and devastation and embarrassment. I should of known better than to think Gale would have been truly interested in me for anything other than, well, that. That which as soon as he realized he couldn't get, he suddenly was no longer interested. I'm angry with him for being able to fool me into thinking we could really have something together. I'm angry with myself for being so naïve as to believe him. I'm embarrassed that I too will now just be another chapter in his book of girls he left behind as soon as he was finished with them. Everyone saw us together. Everyone will see that we've parted ways. Everyone will talk.

I manage to go through the morning with only an occasional whisper behind my back. It isn't until lunchtime that everyone really discovers we've broken up. He sits at a table full of googly-eyed girls, flirting and charming his way into their hearts. And I sit alone on the far side of the room with my lunch that I'm too upset to even eat.

I'm actually thankful for all my years of having to pretend I'm happy and perfect. It makes it possible for me to not completely melt down in front of the entire cafeteria. I put on my best game face and act as if nothing bothers me.

By the time the next day rolls around, our breakup is all the talk of the school and it's much harder to hold myself together. I'm all alone. No one here to help me through this or to tell me this will be okay.

I'm in the ladies room in a stall when I hear a group of girls come in, my name fresh on their lips. I can't help but still myself and listen as they gossip.

"I mean, she obviously was in over her head. Did she really believe she could hold the attention of a guy as gorgeous as Gale?"

Laughter.

"Did you see how pathetic she looked at lunch all by herself yesterday? And he isn't even acknowledging her!"

More laughter.

"Well, I'm sure Gale got what we all know he wanted and then he was bored with her. Or maybe he didn't. Maybe the little princess was too prim and proper for that sort of thing."

Hysterical laughter.

"Gale always gets what he wants. It's what he's good at."

"Still, the boring, prissy little mayor's daughter? She wouldn't know what to do with a guy like Gale. I'm glad he left her. Now he can actually be with girls who know how to keep him happy."

Furious, I slam the door to the stall open, hot tears welling in my eyes. How dare they speak of things they know nothing about! As soon as they see me, their laughter halts and they all stare at me, mouths gapping open. I stare back as I march right passed them and out the bathroom door. As the door closes behind me, the laughter roars louder than ever before. They're in there, laughing at me. For being so stupid as to think I could ever have a guy like Gale Hawthorne.

In the hallway, Gale, the absolute last person I want to see is standing there right by the bathroom door. Our eyes lock for the first time and I freeze, staring at him, trying to read the look in his eyes. Before I can read him though, the bathroom door opens behind me and the laughing girls come out. They all pause behind me, seeing Gale and I standing here staring at one another and then the laughter really rolls. I turn quickly, walking away as fast as I can, right out of the school. All I want to do is escape this place. To get away from everything that reminds me of Gale.


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

**(Gale POV)**

When she comes out of the bathroom, our eyes meet for the first time since we broke up. Well, since before that really because I wasn't able to look her in the eye when I dumped her. She comes storming out the door and stops dead in her tracks and so do I. Tears are freely flowing down her face which is red and angry. I stare at her, torn as to what to do. What could I do? Hug her close to me, tell her I'm sorry? Can't. I just can't. And then, with noisy laughter, a group of girls come out of the bathroom behind Madge. For a split second they stop the laughter as they see Madge and I but then it comes back full force. They're clearly laughing at Madge and making no attempt to hide it. Before I can do anything about it though, Madge storms off and out the exit door of the school.

I glare at the girls and then force myself to go in the opposite direction of what Madge went. I know if I follow after her, I won't be able to stop myself from wanting to console her. And no matter how much it kills me, I can't do that. If I do that, my family goes hungry. Permanently. So instead of following after her, I go to my next class and silently fume.

It's entirely my fault that those girls were laughing at her. I've taken a girl with a sparkling clean reputation and made her something to gossip about and laugh at. At lunch, I notice she's gone. Must never have come back after she stormed out the door. Where is she? Did she go home? Is she at home in that giant empty house crying right now? All I can do is hope that she's okay.

Before the viewing, I go to check my snares and find a hefty haul. Every single snare caught something. Several good sized rabbits and a couple squirrels. This will give us food and a little for me to use as trade in the Hob. I should be thrilled as this is exactly what I needed. I'm not though. I feel guilty.

In the Hob, I'm able to trade the squirrels for a sack of oats. That'll give us breakfasts for a few days. A piece of me wants to also trade for some liquor but I don't. Can't afford to make that trade right now. And I kinda feel like it wouldn't be fair of me to be able to drink away my sorrows. Not when Madge can't do the same with hers.

I can't stop myself from looking for Madge at the viewing. Not to go up and talk to her. Nope, can't do that. But I just need to see her and see if she looks okay. It isn't like her to let people see her cry and so whatever was said to her in that bathroom today really stung her deep. I spot her coming through the check in station and for the briefest of moments, our eyes meet. She looks away quickly and goes to take a seat far away from where I'm sitting.

I try to distract myself with Posy and that works for awhile. Once the viewing starts, I'm hit with new worries as I see the gamemakers intentionally sending a forest fire Katniss's way. And not just any fire. A swift moving, fireball spewing forest fire. She's able to survive but she also gets burned very badly. And just when she finds water to soak her burns in, the career pack comes up on her. Seems the gamemakers were pushing her straight towards them with that fire. She's not far ahead of them as she runs trying to escape and they yell taunts behind her as they're closing in. The viewing screens flicks off just as she manages to tree herself with them all below her, waiting to attack.

Shit. She can't be out of this. Not like this. And now I'll have to wait until tomorrow to find out what happens. Not that seeing it will actually be necessary. She's badly injured and up a tree. Her only weapon is a really small knife. The careers have a whole bevy of weapons and they've got her surrounded. It's really just a matter of time now.

As I'm leaving the viewing, heading straight for the fence so I can get the hell out of here and be alone, I pass Madge. Both our faces look the same. Grief stricken and worried for what we just saw on the screen. Our friend's immanent death looming in the air. Now's when we need each other. To help each other through this. But we can't and I can't even tell her why.

Out in the woods, I stay there all night. My mind needs me to be out here right now. It's the only place I can be where I can breathe. The only place I can feel close to her. This was our escape. Our time out away from it all. Hell, this is how we met, all those years ago. I pull Catnip's bow from the hollowed out tree trunk where she keeps it. I run my fingers over the string and my heart aches. How could this happen to her? How could this be the way it all ends for her?

By the time the sun starts to rise over the horizon, I've cried until I have no more tears. I feel more empty and numb than I ever have before. On my way back to the district, I find a patch of wildflowers. Reaching down, I pluck one and carry it with me back across the fence. I do it almost without thought. Just see it and want to give it to her. To Madge. She'll be hurting just like me and maybe this will help. I shouldn't give it to her but I want so badly to comfort her in the same way in which I wish she could be here to comfort me.

**(Madge POV)**

I sit up most all night with my small radio in my hands, listening to the live feed. The editors of the viewing have such dramatics with when they decide to cut the footage and make us wait for the next day. Luckily, I have a private radio and can listen to the broadcast live as it happens. They still won't tell me everything but I will get almost everything. They cut the viewing to make it look as if Katniss is about to die. I'd let my fears take over me and come home, ready to grieve the death of my friend.

Alone in my room, I'd listened as the careers attempted to get up in the tree. When that was unsuccessful, they'd tried to shoot her down. Thankfully, they weren't skillfull bow users and she wasn't harmed. Well, not by them anyway. Peeta had finally convinced them to just wait it out, saying that eventually she'd have to come down. I can't figure out what he's doing for sure but to me it looks like he may be pretending to be on their side as a means of protecting Katniss. I could be wrong though. I feel a tad of relief when I see Katniss get her first silver parachute. Thank heavens she has sponsor funds. And enough to get a salve for her leg burns. Medicine isn't cheap so I know that probably took a huge chunk out of her funds. But I think Haymitch chose well. She needs that burn to heal and not get infected if she stands any chance at all of making it out of this mess.

Just before I have to leave for school, she's awake and they say her burn looks much better, as if it healed overnight while she slept in that tree. As I leave, she's still okay and the careers are all asleep at the base of the tree. It's going to be a long day at school as I'm forced to wait and see what happens.

When I get to my first class, I feel stares coming from all sides. I look around and see lots of people whispering and looking in my direction. I'm not sure if it's because of my breakup with Gale or because they think my friend has died in the games. I don't ask. Either way, I've had about all I can stand of being the central gossip focus around here.

At lunch, when I pull back my usual chair at the table, I find a flower. A single, purple wildflower placed carefully in the seat of my chair. I pick it up and stare at it. It's pretty. And it was left here specifically for me. Gale? Is that who left this here? I look up and let my eyes fall on him across the room. He's trying to act like he isn't watching but I can tell that he is, out of the corner of his eye, he's watching me. Furious that he's now toying with me, I crumple the flower in my fist and march it straight over to the wastecan. I don't need his stupid flower. Not now.

What is he trying to do? Does he think it's funny to play with my emotions? Angry, I storm out of the cafeteria without even going back to pick up the lunch I left on the table. I hope he saw. Hope he saw me throw away his gesture and not give him a second look.

I'm walking down the hallway with the intention of going and sitting on the steps outside to cool off when strong hands grab me from behind and pull me sideways into a janitor's closet. I get spun around and find myself inches away from Gale.

"I didn't mean to scare you. Just needed to talk to you privately for a second." He whispers immediately.

"What do you want from me?" I ask, a combination of annoyance and curiosity churning in my mind.

"The flower. Why'd you do that with it?"

I stare at him incredulously. Seriously? That's what he wants? "Because I don't need you toying with my emotions."

"What? That's not what I meant by it at all!" He shakes his head.

I'm not doing this. I'm not going to stand here and give him the time of day just because he wants it. I won't do it. "Excuse me." I say curtly as I go to leave the closet. His hand wraps around my arm and holds me back.

"Just wait a sec. Look, I meant it to comfort you, about Katniss." His voice is pleading and so I think he must be speaking with true sincerity.

He doesn't know she's still alive. He probably thinks she's dead, killed by the careers. I let down my personal guard long enough to bring him up to speed. Afterall, he's her best friend. "She isn't dead."

"She's alive?" He squeaks out as if now I'm the one messing with him and he's afraid to believe it.

"When I left for school this morning, she was still alive."

"Did she escape? How's her leg? Is she still being chased?" His questions come rapidly.

"She was still in the tree, just waking up and they were all still asleep at the bottom. As for her leg, she had enough sponsorship money for Haymitch to send her a parachute with medicine in it. It was better this morning they said."

He lets out a long breath and leans back against the wall. I should have told him sooner, I think to myself. I'd promised him I'd keep him informed of anything I heard on the broadcasts. I should've thought of him the way he thought of me in bringing that flower to comfort me. But wait, I don't owe him anything. Not after what he did to me. I'm so conflicted. Part of me wants to slap him and the other wants to embrace him.

"Thank you." He tells me and his eyes search mine, trying to read me I think.

Unsure if I can trust myself to continue talking with him, I just nod and go to leave. As much as every bit of me wants to stay here in this janitor's closet with him, in the back of my mind, I know I need to leave, if only for the safety of my own heart. So, I give him one last look over my shoulder as I exit the closet. Just that one look and my heart skips a beat. He's looking at me in a way that makes me want to stay in here with him. That makes me think of the nights we spent out in the riverbed and in my garden. He's looking at me as if he actually cares.

I spend the entire rest of the afternoon flipping between thoughts of Gale and worry for Katniss. I can't figure out why he looked at me like he did. And why he was thoughtful enough to have given me a flower in the first place. When he ended things with me, he spoke to me the way in which he did before he knew me. He wouldn't look me in the eyes and he didn't offer up any valid reasons as to why we were over. It didn't make sense then and it doesn't make sense now. In that closet, I saw the way he looked at me and it wasn't with the distaste he wanted me to believe he had for me. No, he looked at me as if he missed me every bit as much as I missed him. Something has happened that I don't know about. Something that made him suddenly pull away from me. That's the only logical explanation. If he truly didn't care about me, there never would've been a flower. He never would've chased after me to see why I destroyed that flower. People who don't care about you don't put forth such actions. They just don't.

At the viewing, I find myself gripping the edge of my seat as the screen plays out Katniss's terrifying escape from the tree. Rue, the little girl from 11 was hiding high in a tree near hers and signaled for Katniss to look up. A large tracker jacker's nest hangs several branches higher. I watch as she climbs even higher in the tree and then carefully uses her knife to saw it free, letting it drop on the sleeping career's below. Screams. Blood curdling screams rise up as the careers are stung awake. As they panic and try to make sense of what's happening, Katniss sneaks out of the tree. She's been stung but only a couple times and she pulled the stingers out. She seems dazed and starts to run away to her safety but turns back when she spies the bow and arrows, clutched in the hands of a now stung to death career girl. She's wrenching it from her hands when suddenly Peeta, who had been lying amongst the ambushed careers, comes back to the tree, bursting through the bushes. He screams at her, tells her to run. And then he stays, and fights a Career boy who is armed with a sword while Katniss gets away. So he was trying to protect her the whole time. He was never out to get her, only to keep her safe. The career boy doesn't kill Peeta before passing out from his tracker jacker stings but he does slice deeply into Peeta's thigh. It looks bad. Really bad. And I doubt that Haymitch will have enough money left in sponsor funds to buy Peeta any medicine. When the viewing ends for the day, Katniss is unconscious but safe and hidden. All the careers, those who didn't die from the stings, are asleep as well is Peeta. She did it. She survived one more day.

I look over at Gale, willing him to look back at me. I want to share this moment with him. Want to see that he's feeling the same relief as me. I get it. That subtle over his shoulder sideways glance. The corners of his mouth turned up in a smile.

More than anything, I want to go and talk to Gale. To make him talk to me and explain what happened to keep him from wanting to be with me. I'm more confident than ever that he still has feelings for me and I have every intention of finding out why he's resisting them. But, since I don't know what's going on that I'm unaware of, I don't approach him. Instead, I go home and get busy in the kitchen.

I put together a small basket of bread and cheeses and fruits. I can take this to Prim and Mrs. Everdeen. I know they could use it and it gives me a valid excuse for being in the Seam should anyone ask. My father is at his office and will likely stay there for hours but just in case he comes home, I want to have a valid excuse for my whereabouts.

I take the basket to the Everdeen's right away. Prim is very thankful and invites me in. I go in, but only for a moment. From the looks of their bare kitchen, the basket of food is much needed. There's a small jar of oats and what looks to be some sort of small wild game and not much else. Because I know the Seam people are very quick to deny charity, I make sure to present the basket as a celebration of sorts for Katniss being able to escape the tree. Luckily for me, Prim isn't in one to turn away food.

After I leave there, I take a chance and go to the riverbed in hopes of finding Gale there. I don't want to go to his house since I don't know what's really going on but hopefully, he's in the riverbed.

When I get there it's fully dark out and I can't see if he's here or not. I carefully climb down and stand there for a second before calling out his name. "Gale?"

I wait and listen. Nothing but crickets in the darkness. I try once more, just in case. "Gale, are you here?"

Again, nothing. He's not here. My heart falls. I know if I could just get him alone and talk to him, really talk to him, I could figure this out. I just know I could.


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**

**(Gale POV)**

I hear her calling my name and without question, I know I cannot answer her, even though it's all I want to do. Instead, I stay hidden in the shadows of the night and listen as her melodic voice rings through the air, calling my name. It was a mistake for me to have even talked to her today. I never should have. It was better for my family when she thought I hated her. When I wasn't even making eye contact with her, they were never at risk of going hungry.

But I screwed up. I left her that flower. And then I watched as she'd found it, laying there in her chair. I wanted to see her face when she found it. Wanted to see her smile. It wasn't that way though. There was a scowl, not a smile that spread across her face and then I watched as she wadded it up in her hand before tossing it in the trash and exiting the room. I made the terrible choice to go after her, following her out into the hallway. I'd caught up to her as she passed the janitor's closet and without hesitation, I'd grabbed her from behind and yanked her into the privacy of the closet.

Right away, I'd made it clear I wasn't trying to scare her. I haven't forgotten the last time I pulled her in here. She wasn't happy to speak to me and was in a hurry to get out of the closet and away from me. I should have let her go. I should have taken the out and let her walk away. I didn't though. I'd pleaded for her to stay, to listen for a moment. And when I'd pleaded, I saw something in her soften for a moment, as if she was letting me in. She'd given me the best of news, that Catnip wasn't dead. The relief that overwhelmed me nearly made me weak in the knees and I'd had to lean back against the wall. And after I'd thanked her, she just looked at me, nodded once and left without another word.

It seems as if that was a simple, harmless conversation. But it wasn't. In the closet and with that flower, I'd let it slip that I still cared. And if it was to stay believable that I didn't want to be with her, it was crucial for her to think I hated her. And I know she saw it all over my face that I anything but hated her. To further complicate things, I'd shared a sideways glance with her at the viewing as we silently cheered over Katniss's escape from the careers.

I can't let her keep seeing me care. Can't share any sideways glances or steal her away to the janitor's closet for private conversations. And I couldn't answer her when she called out for me in the darkened riverbed.

And when the next night rolls around, I don't answer her that night either. It's harder to remain quiet and still. I want to answer her and just know what she wants. Actually, I want to answer her, pull her to me and kiss her with everything in me. But I don't. Instead, I listen as her voice repeatedly calls out for me. At school, I make extra effort to avoid her altogether. If I never see her, I won't be tempted to share a glance or to talk to her.

But tonight, on the third night, she one ups me. When I get to the riverbed, she's already there waiting for me and because she hears me coming down the slope, I can't pretend I'm not here. She's not stupid this one, I'll give her that. Hell, I bet she knew I was out here the passed two nights too.

"Gale, I've been looking for you." She says quietly.

I sigh. I don't know what's the best solution right now. Do I yell at her and make her go away, feeling hurt and rejected again or do I just find out what it is she so badly needs to talk to me about. "You really shouldn't be here. You need to go home Madge." I tell her. I don't yell and I don't say it in an ugly way.

"I'll go, don't worry about that. But not until you and I have a real conversation."

"I mean it Madge, you gotta go. Right now."

In the faint moonlight, I can see her arms fold over her chest. She isn't going to budge. And I don't have it in me to turn and walk away from her. So I sit with a sigh, giving in and allowing the conversation.

"Gale, I need to know what made you break up with me." She asks taking a seat next to me.

"I already told you. It was stupid of us to think we'd make a good couple. We're very different people."

"I'm not convinced that was the reason. I was at first. I really believed that you had played me for a fool and that I was just like all the other girls whose hearts you broke. But then the other day, I finally got to look you in the eyes and what I saw told me different. I'm here to tell you that I don't believe you. I think there's something you're hiding."

Shit. I was right. I shouldn't have talked to her in the closet. Shouldn't have given her a flower. She caught on and she knows I'm keeping a secret. But I can't tell her about it. Her father was very specific about me not telling her. My family doesn't eat anymore if I can't keep this secret. I sit silently.

"Gale, whatever it is, please, talk to me." She begs.

"You and I just can't be together." I mutter, wishing I had a way to explain it all for her.

Her hand folds over my forearm and she leans in closer. I can feel her breath on my face as she practically whispers. "You can trust me."

And I cave. I melt right against her and I cave. My forehead leaning against hers. I trust her, I do. I want to tell her everything so that she can finally see I never had a choice in the matter. "Madge…" I whisper.

I bring my hands up to her face, cradling it. And I kiss her. I know I shouldn't but I do.

"See, I know you don't hate me." Madge whispers.

"I don't hate you. I wish I did but I don't." I confess.

"Then talk to me. Tell me what happened."

"I can't tell you. But please, know that you didn't do anything wrong. And for what it's worth, I'm sorry that I hurt you."

She kisses me this time. "Just talk to me. Whatever it is, it can stay between us. I just want to know."

"Don't you think I want to tell you everything? Don't you know how much it kills me to not be able to tell you? Don't you know that not being with you is driving me insane?" I spit out at her.

She stays calm even though my voice had just risen in frustration. Her fingers intertwine with mine. "Then let me make it better. Tell me what happened, let me help."

"You need to go. Right now, Madge, you need to get out of here and don't come back. We can't be together and there's nothing either of us can do to change that." I tell her, my voice cracking as I pull back my hands and go to stand. I have to get out of here. I'm too close to telling her everything. And I can't do that. If I do that, the fence comes back on and stays that way. I can't be that selfish. I have to think about what's best for my family.

She isn't going for it. "I'll keep coming. Every single night I'll come here. And if that doesn't work, I'll come to your house. If I have to, I'll find you out in the woods. I won't just let this go. So you can talk to me now or you can let me keep chasing you until I wear you down. The choice is yours."

"Deal making must run in your family." I scoff and as soon as I do, I regret the slip.

"What? Did my father have something to do with this?" She demands, voice becoming angry.

"Look, I'll tell you but if I do, you can't talk about it with anyone. You have to keep it to yourself. Got it?" I tell her. I figure if I don't tell her now, she'll go to her father and demand he tell her. And I don't want her messing things up and having him turn the fence back on. And if she's serious about following me around until I tell her, it'll only bring trouble my way. Especially if she were to follow me out into the woods. I don't even want to think about what her father would do to me if he knew Madge went out in the woods after me.

"What did he do?"

"He sent Peacekeepers for me. Sat me down in a private room and explained that he didn't want us to date."

"He doesn't get a say in who I date!" She interrupts.

"Oh but he does. He has every say in the matter. He said he would give me a choice. I could keep dating you and the fence would stay on or we could break up and he'd turn it off so I could hunt."

She drops back down to the ground and sits. I sit down, facing her.

"I knew there was a real reason. I just knew it." She says as she shakes her head.

"Madge, you understand right? I didn't have a choice. My family needs me. My hunting is how they survive. I couldn't choose you, no matter how selfish I want to be about wanting you, I had to choose what's best for my family."

"You should have told me."

"That's one of his conditions for the whole thing. I had to break it off with you in a believable way and I had to keep his deal a complete and total secret from everyone."

"He doesn't get to have a say in who I date." She repeats angrily.

I take her hand and press it into mine. "Madge, you have to promise me not to say anything. You have to let it go. You have to let us go." I plead with her. I can't have her going and trying to get back at him for this. I can't gamble with my family like that.

"No. Let me fix this. Let me make it right. He can't do that to you and your family."

"But he can Madge. He was already doing it. You know that day I didn't come to school? It was because I was sitting outside by the fence all day waiting, desperately hoping it would turn off so I could go and get food for my family. He left it on just to show me that he could do it. That he would do it."

"He did that?"

"Yeah. And I believe him when he says that if I continue with you, that he'll turn it back on. He isn't bluffing."

"Gale, I am so terribly sorry that he blackmailed you like that. I promise you, I'll take care of it."

"Stop, you can't do anything! Nothing! He can't know we've even been talking to each other." I beg her as I squeeze her hands between mine.

"But I can fix it. I don't know how yet, but if you let me think on it, I know I can figure something out. I know I can think of a way for us to be together and my father to be okay with it."

"No, I'm dead serious. I can't take the risk. After tonight, you and I can't ever talk again." My voice cracks as I say it because as much as it's true, that doesn't make it not hurt to say it or to think about it.

"I wasn't ready for things to be over between us Gale." She sobs.

"Me either." I choke out as I pull her to me and kiss her again. It isn't fair to either of us for me to be kissing her. I know this as I'm doing it but I can't stop myself. She leans into the kiss and for a moment, this last moment, I let myself forget that I can't be with her. My arms fold around her and I kiss her harder. Her hand knots the fabric of my shirt against my chest. I lean back and pull her with me, my lips still furiously kissing her. I don't want this to end.

**(Madge POV)**

When he kisses me, I get lost in it right away. That euphoric feeling takes over my mind and all I want is for this feeling not to end. My hand grabs tightly to his shirt and I sigh beneath the touch of his lips. He leans back and I follow, pressing myself against his chest. His arms wrap around me, his hands tangle in my hair. When our kiss breaks, my forehead rests against his, both of us breathless.

"I want to stay here all night like this." I whisper.

"I've missed you so much." He confesses as he his lips brush over my own.

"I'm so sorry about my father."

"No, I'm sorry that I couldn't choose you."

"Wait, you know what?" I say as I sit up. "Neither one of us should be apologizing. My father is the only person who did something wrong here. And if you'll let me, I know I can make him see the error of his ways."

"No." He says quietly, his eyes closed. I know he's worried for his family and it only makes sense. He's the only reason they get to eat every day.

"Compromise with me then?" I ask as I let my fingertips dance along his neck.

"How so?" He asks, eyes open and curious.

"Well, how about you give me a little time to think of a way to resolve this problem with my father and then once I come up with an idea, I'll come find you and run it by you first before I do anything at all."

He sighs. "I don't know."

"All I'm asking is that you give me a chance to come up with a solution and talk to you about it. I promise I won't act on any of it at all until we've talked through it all and even then, only if you're one hundred percent comfortable with it."

He smoothes my hair with his hands and kisses my forehead. I feel the no coming before I hear him say it. I try to fight it, try to keep him from saying it aloud. I cover his mouth with mine and kiss him with desperation. Desperation for us not to be over.

"My family. I can't let them starve." He murmurs beneath my lips.

I pull back. "Gale, I'm going to think of something and as soon as I do, I'll come find you and we'll talk about it. In the meantime, I won't say a thing to anyone about any of this. I'll stay away from you and you can pretend you don't know me."

"Okay. But not a word, not a single word, to anyone." He concedes.

I kiss him again and let myself fall against him. Now all I have to do is come up with a plan to one up my father and not put Gale's family at risk. And how hard could that be? Right?


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16**

**(Madge POV)**

I pace back and forth across the carpet of my bedroom for at least an hour before I claim total frustration and go fume in my rocking chair on the balcony. For all my thinking and all my trying, I can't seem to come up with any brilliant plans to get Gale and I back together without jeopardizing his family. Actually, it's not just brilliant ideas that I lack, it's any idea whatsoever that I'm lacking. Everything I could think of always put them at risk with my father.

And my father, that is a whole other situation to deal with. I'm more than angry at him. Livid with him is more like it. His stunt with Gale and the fence was on the underhanded levels of someone like President Snow and I hated him for it. It was proof positive that he'd changed from what he used to be. That too much of the evil that is Panem leadership had rubbed off on him. I no longer believe that he only worried about me dating Gale in regards to the dangers of Gale leaving the fence. No, I think he just doesn't like him based of being from the Seam. I was wrong to have thought it wouldn't be an issue for me to date someone of lesser means. Blackmail though? Who would do such a horrible thing just to keep their daughter from dating someone? But, until I come up with a foolproof plan on how to deal with all of this, I can't let him catch on to my anger or that I know about his actions. For once I am thankful that he's so busy with work all the time. The less I see him, the less pretending I'll be forced to do.

My temporary plan is to act normal around my father whenever I have to see him. And whenever I see Gale, I'll be indifferent. I'll act as if he doesn't matter to me. And in every spare second I can find, I intend to plot out a plan. And it'll have to be a flawless one if I expect it to work.

The key will have to be in taking any and all leverage away from my father over Gale. So what are the potential things about Gale that he could use against him? That he goes outside the fence. That he hunts off Capitol land. That he is the sole person providing for not only his family but for the Everdeen family as well. He frequents and trades at the Hob. Everything he does is directly related to trying to provide for his family. If he were a little older he could get a job in the mines and then maybe he wouldn't have to do some of those things but that doesn't help right now. I suppose I could find a job for him, like a real job in town. I doubt anyone is actually looking for help, as most businesses are run strictly by family, but maybe I could ask a few places. I stop and shake my head to myself. He'd never go for that. And that would still make it possible for my father to manipulate. He could easily make a deal to have him fired. Buy off prospective employers. No, if I want to outwit my father, I'm going to have to think bigger.

When I see Gale at school, it's hard to pretend not to care and to not look at him. It's hard not being jealous when he has girls openly flirting with him. He doesn't seem to be full on flirting back with them but it's still hard to see. It's very hard to still hear whispers and rumors about how he dumped me and all the various reasons people think we broke up. And the worst part is I have yet to come up with any possible solutions to dealing with my father.

Thankfully, fate deals us a surprising hand that neither of us could have seen coming. And it comes in the form of a Capitol invitation. Something my father could never go against.

**(Gale POV)**

I'm in class, bored as usual, when a Peacekeeper interrupts our instructor and summons me from class. Fear shoots through me and my knees feel like jelly as I gather my books and follow him out into the hallway. I was in the woods this morning and I traded at the Hob but I'd thought I was in the clear. Didn't see any signs of being caught or anyone watching. Had I missed someone who was watching? Had someone seen my haul and reported it?

"This was sent for you from the Capitol." He says as he hands me a glossy, ivory envelope with my name on the front. He waits, watching, so I assume I'm supposed to open it in front of him.

Trying not to let my hands shake too much, I break open the wax seal on the back and slide out an ivory card. It's an invitation. To come to the Capitol and be interviewed by Ceaser Flickerman.

"Why would anyone wanna interview me?" I ask out loud but not really expecting an answer.

"All the district's with tributes in the final five were sent invitations for interview. Mostly friends and family of the tributes." He explains to my surprise.

An interview in the Capitol? Me, travel to the Capitol? I shake my head. I don't want any part of this. No way. "Can I decline?" I ask.

"I would advise against it. If it's transportation that concerns you, your train fare is included as are your Capitol accommodations."

I stare at the fancy invitation in my hands. I figure the Everdeens got one too. And then it hits me, maybe Madge got one too. She's Katniss's friend too. The idea of spending time with her makes it a lot more enticing. But can I leave my family for a few days?

"When would I leave?" I ask.

He's beginning to look annoyed with all my questions and honestly, I'm surprised he's bothered to answer any of them. "The train departs in a few hours. Do you accept or decline this invitation?"

"I'll go. Just need to take care of a few things at home first." I tell him.

Having gotten my answer finally, he leaves and I head home. If I'm going to be gone for a few days, I'll need to make sure my family will have enough to eat. And I need to know if the Everdeens got invitations as well. If they did, then the haul I got this morning can go all to my family.

I swing by the Everdeens and find out that they did get invited but declined the invitation.

"You aren't gonna go?" I ask in shock.

"No, I don't think I can do it." Mrs. Everdeen says, her eyes looking dazed. "You go, she'd want you to go."

"Yeah, I'm going. Listen, I'll be gone for a few days but I did get some game this morning. Rory can bring it over this afternoon. But you'll have to be careful and make it last until I can get back."

"Thank you." She mumbles and then shuts the door. She's so out of it. But then again, she almost always is.

At home, I quickly explain everything to my mother and tell her to have Rory take over food later. We should have enough for everyone it seems and I'm thankful I was able to get a decent haul this morning.

My mother takes a small worn, leather satchel and packs my reaping day clothes for me. They're the nicest ones I have but they're still nothing special. Certainly not nice enough to be wearing on television. But, it'll have to do. She seems nervous about me going but I think the Capitol in general just makes normal people a little nervous.

I head into town and to the train station. I'm not sure what I'm supposed to do but

When I get there, I see a few other people, clearly headed the same way I am. The Peacekeeper who delivered my invitation. Mrs. Mellark from the bakery. Not her husband or other kids though, just her and three large suitcases. She looks terribly excited to be going. Like she's extra important or something. She doesn't speak to me and I don't acknowledge her. Never liked her much. Usually, Katniss and I would try to only deal with if we had to make a trade with them for fresh bread.

I don't see Madge at tall though. Was I wrong about Madge maybe going? Crap, I don't wanna go if she isn't going. Definietly don't want to be interviewed without her. Surely they invited her. I look around and finally see her coming up, luggage in hand. As soon as she sees me, her face breaks out in a smile and I can't help but do the same. Her father can't say anything about us interacting on this trip. Still, I think I'll wait until we're safely on the train before I go kissing her or anything.

We get on the train and are taken to our rooms. I've never once been on the train before and I had no idea how decked out these things were. Dark hardwood furniture, luxurious looking drapes and carpets. Crystal light fixtures. Fresh roses everywhere. It's the same kind of fancy that Madge's room was.

My room is small but has it's own bathroom and a window over the bed. And it's nicer than anything I've ever had. I drop my satchel and flop down on the bed. It's so soft and I sink into it. Like it's filled with down feathers or something. No springs dig into my back and it doesn't squeak at my every move. I close my eyes and imagine what an amazing night's sleep I could get in a bed like this.

A subtle knock at my door and I'm on my feet but the door opens before I even get to it.

"Can you believe this?" She shrieks in a high-pitched whisper. Blue eyes wide and happy.

"Believe that I'm on a train to the Capitol to do a live interview? Not at all how I saw my day playing out."

"We get to be together for 3 whole days!" She says, oozing delight and cheer.

I reach out and intertwine our fingers. "And that is the only reason I agreed to come and do this."

"Did you know declined?" She asks.

I nod. "I think it's just too much for her."

"That's how we got invitations. We were next on the list after she and Prim." Madge explains.

"Well in that case, for selfish reasons, I'm kinda happy she isn't here."

"Know who else isn't here?" Madge asks then adds "My father."

I smile at her. She's downright giddy and I feel it too. It's been a rough couple days waiting for her to think up a plan that allows us to date. I lean down and kiss her, lifting her chin with my free hand.

"I've missed you. How's that plan coming along? Any ideas?"

"And I've missed you! The only plan I've come up with isn't good enough. Still leaves you vulnerable to my father."

My heart drops and it surprises me a little because I already knew in the back of my mind that she didn't have anything yet. She would've come searching for me if she had something plausible. Still, I'd love it if one of us could think of something. I'd love it if either of us could come up with something. Lately, I'm finding that the more I can't be with her, the more that's all I want.

She sees the rumpled bed where I'd been laying and smiles. "Tried out the bed already, huh?"

I shrug. "It's crazy soft."

"Want me to show you around the train cars?" She offers. I suppose she's been on the train plenty of times so this probably isn't a big deal at all for her.

"Sure, I'll let you play tour guide for me." I tease as I lean down and kiss her forehead once.

She shows me through the various common area cars. There's a bar car with lots of bottles of different liquors and beers. A dining car that has tables filled with fine china and fresh flowers. I don't see any food in it yet but I imagine that's because it isn't a mealtime right now. An entertainment car that has a viewing screen on one wall and several overstuffed armchairs in it. The games are playing on the screen right now and we both stop to stare.

It's raining in the arena and so not much is happening by way of combat. Katniss and that Peeta kid are holed up in some little cave together. He's in real bad shape and barely awake. She seems to be trying to take care of him. I wish she wouldn't. I wish she'd just focus on herself and on winning. Yesterday they'd announced to the tributes that if the two last remaining tributes were of the same district, that they could both claim victor. She immediately went off and found him. He was half dead, hidden beneath a bunch of river mud. She hasn't left his side since. It's sweet and all her wanting to take care of him but the more focus she puts on him, the less focused she is on the actual game and that makes it a lot easier for someone to kill her.

I look over at Madge. "I think I'm gonna go back to my room. Not feeling like watching this right now." I whisper in her ear. There are a few Capitol people in the car and I don't want them to hear me saying I don't want to watch the games.

She leaves with me and in the car with all the bedrooms, she pauses outside my door. "Want some company? If not, you can find me later. My rooms just at the end of the hall."

"I always want your company." I say giving her hand a light squeeze. I want her to spend every waking second with me so I can soak up as much of her as possible. It's unbelievable how much I've missed having her around since we can't be together anymore.

In my room, I sit on the bed and watch out the window as the country zips passed it. She joins me and once she sits down, I loop my arms around her waist and pull her to lean back against me. It crosses my mind that perhaps I'm not being fair to her by being so affectionate and wanting her with me while we're here on the train because the minute this train pulls up in 12 again in few days, all that ends. It has too.

"Madge, is this okay with you? Me kissing you, holding you and us not really being together? I don't want to hurt you." I ask her quietly. The last thing I'd want is to take advantage of her. She isn't one of the girls I'd normally be okay doing this with and not making a commitment to.

She shakes her head. "I like being here. I like how it feels with your arms around me. Love kissing you." She answers just as quietly as her fingers trace tiny circles over my arm.

"But you do understand that once we get back home, I can't be with you, right?"

"I know." She says, still quiet.

I lean down and rest my chin on her head, wrapping my arms a little more snuggly around her. If I only get a few days with her, I plan to make them count. I'll make every second count.


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17**

**(Madge POV)**

When they pulled me out of class, I wasn't nervous at all. I just assumed my father needed me for something or wanted me to be aware of incoming Capitol guests. I was pleasantly surprised to find it was an invitation to the Capitol instead. It wasn't the part about the Capitol that interested me but rather the fact that Gale was invited as well. The Peacekeeper who brought me my invitation was one who was typically very kind to me and he mentioned Gale was going as well as that the Everdeen's had declined the invitation. I of course, would never be allowed to decline any sort of Capitol invitation so it went without question that I was going. I was surprised about the Everdeens not wanting to go. And I wasn't sure if Gale would accept or not. He wasn't a fan of the Capitol but I secretly held out hope that he would know I'd be going too. It had been a rough couple days not being able to talk to him or kiss him. And I still had no brilliant plan to get us back together so I openly welcomed any chance to spend time with him.

After collecting my luggage from Glennis, I stopped by my father's office and said goodbye to him. He of course was well aware I'd been invited to interview and that Gale would be travelling with me. I learned long ago that if Peacekeepers have knowledge of something, so does my father. He'd given me a routine reminder to set a good example and to be pleasing during my interview. He reminds me that I'm representing all of our district on this trip.

From there, I head straight to the train station and can't hide the smile spreading across my face when I see Gale standing there, bag in hand. He'd accepted the invitation! Once aboard the train, I'd dropped my suitcase in my assigned stateroom and then immediately gone to find Gale. He'd looked so out of place standing there in that stateroom. The bedcovers were rumpled as if he'd rolled around on the bed to see if he liked it or not. I'd given him a tour of the common areas of the train and then we'd retreated back to his room.

Being curled up next to him as we watched out of the small window, having him plant small kisses on the top of my head made me feel happier than I've been in days but it also came with a smidge of sadness too. Sadness because I know this couldn't last, that it was only temporary. He must have felt it too because just minutes after wrapping his arms around my waist and letting me lean back against his chest, he cautiously asks if I'm alright with all of the affections and reminds me that we can't be together when we get back home to 12. I ignore the pit in the bottom of my stomach and pull his arms tighter around me. I don't want to think about what's coming. All I want to think about is the right here, and the right now.

"Do you think your father will hear about us spending time together like this?" Gale asks nervously.

I know for a fact he will but I have an out. That picture they used of Gale and I kissing. That's my excuse. I'll tell him we had to pretend to be a couple because everyone had been so excited about us and that picture was supposed to be about us celebrating and being brought together by the games. I'll even play it up about how hard it was to pretend to be with Gale after so recently being dumped by him. And my father, knowing how often I have to do things for the sole purpose of pleasing the Capitol, will have no choice but to think I did what they expected of me. After all, he did remind me to be pleasing. Of course a better solution would be to come up with that brilliant plan that would allow us to remain a couple but I'm not so confident of that anymore.

"He will hear about it but it's okay. I've already thought ahead to that. You know that picture of us kissing that they raved about and tried to say that was us being drawn together in celebration of the games?"

"Yeah…" He says hesitantly.

I raise up and twist around to see him as I explain it. "The Capitol thinks we're a couple brought together over excitement for the games. It'll most likely come up in the interview. My father would never want me to disappoint the Capitol by saying we weren't together anymore. So, we make him think we had to pretend."

"And you think that's gonna work?"

"Don't be nervous. It'll work. I'll even make a big fuss about it when I get home if I have to and tell him I'm not doing anymore interviews and how hard it was pretending to be your girlfriend when you hate me so much. Trust me, he'll buy it."

"I don't hate you." He tells me.

"But I'm supposed to think that you do, remember?" I remind him as I lean forward to steal a kiss.

"I know. I just want to be sure you know it. Because I anything but hate you." He replies after my kiss.

We spend the next couple hours curled up on his bed, occasionally sharing a kiss or two. We talk some but mostly we're just silent. Both of us trying to savor the feeling of just being allowed the company of one another. I've heard the saying before that absence makes the heart grow fonder. My heart must be trying to prove that it's true because not being able to have moments like this with him only seem to make me want them all the more.

**(Gale POV)**

We stay in my room until it's time for dinner. I'm not sure if dinner is included with my train ticket or if it costs extra and I don't want to have to ask. I know if it costs money though, I can't have any.

In the dining car, Madge leads us over to a table for two and we sit down. A girl comes over with water right away and then disappears. She doesn't say a word to us and even though I've never seen one, I think she's an Avox. A person who was punished by the Capitol with having her tongue cut out and then forced into a life of servitude. I look over at Madge and she leans in across the table so I do to.

"Try not to stare at them." She whispers in confirming my suspicions that the girl is in fact an Avox.

I nod and then look down at the place setting in front of me. There's a menu card lying across the top of my plate. I pick it up to see if it has prices next to the food but it doesn't. Still, that doesn't mean it's free food.

"You should try the cracked pepper filet. It has this sauce that comes with it that's amazingly delicious." She says as her eyes scan the card.

"I'm not that hungry actually. Think I'll just keep you company while you eat." I tell her as I put the menu down and sit back in my chair. I'm starving of course but I don't know what I'd do if after we ate they brought over a bill. The Peacekeeper said my train fare and Capitol boarding were covered but he didn't mention food and I hadn't thought to ask about it specifically. I'd been more concerned about making sure my family would eat while I was gone and hadn't had time to worry about my own need for food.

Madge smiles at me and then tells me quietly. "You know, meals are included with your train fare. It would almost be an insult to the Capitol if you refused their food."

So she knew I was worried about money. It's a little embarrassing but I like that she tried to give me an excuse to eat. "Well, I don't want to insult anyone." I tell her.

The Avox girl returns and Madge orders her meal. I follow behind her and order the filet like she suggested. When it comes, it's one of the best damn things I've ever tasted. And it doesn't come as just the filet. Nope. It comes with vegetables and bread so fresh it's still warm. Once I've had a few bites, it's hard not to make a scene and shovel it all in with both hands. I'm so used to just being hungry that being able to eat to my heart's contentment is nearly overwhelming. I do my best not to look like the starving Seam kid that I am though. With dinner they bring wine as well. I've never had real wine. Just cheap Seam made beer and white liquor. It's okay but I think it may be one of those things you have to get used too before you love it. Just when I think dinner's over, they bring out another menu. We get dessert too? Geez! I've eaten more in this one meal than I have in the passed two weeks!

Madge orders lemon crème cake with fresh berries. I opt not to have anything as much as my eyes want me to keep eating. I'm afraid if I eat too much else, I'll get sick since my body isn't used to getting so much food in such a short amount of time. I do pluck one of the strawberries off Madge's plate though and am surprised it doesn't taste as sweet as the wild ones I find out in the woods.

"Not as sweet, right?" She sort of whispers knowingly.

I nod.

"Never have been. They grow them all from specialized seeds. I think that's what makes them taste this way. Still good but not as sweet." She explains.

After she finishes dessert, we leave and head back to our rooms. On the way, it occurs to me that we didn't have a mandatory viewing. "Hey, how come they didn't make it mandatory for us to watch the games?"

"The train is built to cater to Capitol citizens. Viewings aren't mandatory for them because to them, it's all entertainment. Why would they not want to see it? That's why the dining car was so empty. Most everyone is already there watching."

"Will we get in trouble for not being there?"

"No. We made an appearance earlier. Besides, for all they know we're watching in our rooms."

"The rooms have screens?" I ask.

"Yeah, small ones. Did you want to watch for awhile? I can show you how to use it."

"Just show me where it is." I tell her. I don't feel like watching but just incase I decide to check on Katniss, I should probably know how to do it.

Madge comes into my room and goes over to the wall at the foot of my bed. She taps a panel there and suddenly a small screen drops down and flickers on. "Just press here and it'll come down and turn on. It will be live feed. When you're finished, tap here again and it'll go back up."

I nod. "Go ahead and put it back up. I don't wanna watch right now but just wanted to know how to if I feel like it later."

She understands and closes the screen. With the games and with our friend being in them, sometimes it's harder to watch than to not watch.

"I'm going to go back to my room and take a shower, get ready for bed. I'll come say good night in a little while?" She tells me.

A shower. That actually doesn't sound half bad. Never had a real one before. "Sure, I think I'll do the same." I tell her as I pull her in for a quick kiss before she leaves.

After she's gone, I stand in the small bathroom and frown at the panels and buttons in the shower. Should've asked her how to work this thing too, I think to myself. I manage to turn it on and to find hot water but the soap and shampoo are trickier. After about 5 minutes of just pushing all the buttons and seeing what happens I finally figure out which ones are for soap. It of course smells like roses. President Snow has thing about roses and I suppose the scented soap is in his honor. As are all the freshly cut roses in every room and the tiny roses etched on the crystal.

The shower stream feels so relaxing on my muscles that I stay in much longer than I needed. It just feels good so I stay, letting it beat down on the always sore muscles of my chest and back. When I get out, the towels are just as fluffy and white as the one I ruined at Madge's house that night it was raining. Only this one also has a hint of rose scent to it.

When I come out of the bathroom, I find a bathrobe clad Madge with damp hair waiting for me. I must not have heard her come in.

"Hey, sorry. You been waiting long?" I ask.

She blushes and smiles, looking away. "Not too long."

I realize I'm standing here in nothing but my boxers and can't help but smile at how I'd made her blush. Still, I grab the bathrobe hanging on the back of the bathroom door and pull it on. It's as soft against my skin as the bath towel was.

"Sorry." I apologize without trying to even wipe the smile from my face.

Cheeks still burning pink, she looks back at me. "I just came to say goodnight."

"Stay for a little while? Unless you're too tired." I tell her as I get situated on the bed next to her. I really don't want her to go. I want her to stay and sleep here with me but I don't want to freak her out by asking her. It may be more than she's ready for, even if it would be just sleeping.

"I can stay for a while." She says as she leans her head against my chest.

"I've never seen your hair wet before. It's so long." I tell her.

"Yeah, it curls up as it dries. Makes it appear shorter." She says as she raises up. "Sorry, I forgot about it being wet when I layed back on you."

"Doesn't bother me." I say as I reach out and pull her back to me and wrap my arms tight around her.

She tilts her head back to look up at me and smiles. I lean down and press my lips against her forehead.

"You nervous about the interview?" She asks.

"I'm hoping to let you do most of the talking." I admit.

"Well, just in case they bring us up separate or something, just keep your answers vague and upbeat. Think of all the stereotypical things about the Capitol and let that guide your responses. If you think they'd like it, say it even if it isn't what you would really say. Don't give them a chance to see the real you. Ever."

"Thanks for the tips." I tell her. And I mean it. I need it. Right now though, I don't want to focus on the upcoming interview. All I want is for time to slow down and this moment to last as long as it possibly can. I want her here, in my arms, for as long as possible.

We're quiet for awhile and when I look down, I realize she's fallen asleep, right there against my chest. There's a pang in my heart when I look at her. Even now, when we aren't really a couple, I can feel her stealing my heart as I fall for her.

I ease her off of my chest and lay her back against the pillows. I pull the blankets up around her and then I kiss her cheek. She's never looked more beautiful to me than she does right now and I couldn't stand to wake her. I grab one of the extra pillows and a throw blanket off the armchair, turn down the lights and lose the bathrobe. I'm not sure how she'd feel about us sleeping in the same bed all night, even if it was just sleeping so tonight I'll take the floor.

Part way through the night, I feel her shake my shoulder. "Gale! What are you doing on the floor?" She asked in a hushed voice.

I rub my eyes trying to wake up. "You fell asleep. I didn't want to wake you so I took the floor. It's fine, go back to sleep." I tell her as I roll over, just wanting to go back to sleep.

"There's plenty of room for the both of us. Come up here and get off the floor." She invites me as she pulls back the covers, climbing back in the bed and making room for me to join her.

"Wasn't sure if you'd be okay with me sleeping in the bed too." I explain as I get up and back into the bed with her.

"I want you here with me." She whispers and I feel her snuggle against my chest under the blankets. Her breathe against my bare skin tickles and then I feel her lips, ever so lightly, placing delicate kisses on my chest.

I feel my heart start to pound and lean my head down to kiss her. I gently pull her upwards and cover her mouth with mine. I no longer want to sleep. Her hands run over my chest and stomach and she kisses me back, matching my intensity. My mouth moves to kiss her neck and when I do, she elicits a sigh that drives me insane with want for her. She presses herself closer against me and my hands move to her hips. I feel her lips on my neck now and her hands wrapping around my back. It takes every ounce of self control I have to do what I do next. So much so that it hurts.

I run my hands back up to her shoulders and gently pull us apart. "Hey, not like this. Not when we can't be together in a few days."

She stares at me and in the moonlight filtering through the window, I can see her chest rising and falling quickly as she catches her breath. I don't want her feelings to be hurt by my stopping us so I lean forward and put my forehead against hers as I explain. "I want you. I want this. But a week ago, you weren't ready for this sort of thing and that's when we were actually together. I don't want us to get carried away tonight and have it hurt that much more in a couple days when we're forced apart again."

"But I want…" She begins to protest and I cut her off with a kiss.

"Shhh. Tonight, we just sleep." I say as I wrap my arms around her stroke my hands over her hair. I want more than just sleeping with her in my arms but not if I can't have her as mine for more than just a couple nights.


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18**

**(Madge POV)**

When I wake up, it's still dark in the room so I know it's the middle of the night. It takes me a minute to get oriented though because I fell asleep while talking to Gale in his room but he isn't in bed with me when I wake up. At first I think he carried me to my own room and put me into my bed but when I go to stand up, I find him, sprawled out on the floor, fast asleep.

I shake his shoulder and wake him up. I can't believe he took the floor just because I fell asleep in his bed. There was ample room for the both of us. I suppose he was just having good manners, not wanting to make me uncomfortable. And it's just another one of those little things about him that before I really knew him, I never would have expected him to do. He's so much more wonderful than I ever used to give him credit for.

Once he's relocated to the bed with me, I curl up against his chest with every intention of just going to sleep but then I feel his bare skin against my cheek and remember how he'd looked coming out of the shower earlier. He'd come out of the bathroom in boxers only and I'd had to look away because of just how gorgeous he was. His muscles were so defined that all I wanted to do was stare at him in awe but I could feel my face flushing so I'd forced myself to look away. He knew it too because he had a smug little smile afterwards. He'd thrown on a robe though for my benefit. But lying in bed with my face against that very same chest, I found myself no longer sleepy. I'd gingerly placed light kisses on his chest and he'd responded with an intense, wanting kiss. My head goes all fuzzy and all I can think about is how I want more of him. As I kiss back, I can't stop my hands from wanting to touch him. His lips find my neck and I sigh at how incredible it feels. I press myself against him, wanting to be closer, wanting more of this feeling. His hands glide down over my hips and a new thrilling sensation runs through me. I kiss his neck and hold tightly to his back. And then he does yet another thing I never would've expected from him. He gently pulls us apart and says we have to stop. I stare at him as I catch my breath and try to comprehend why he would not want this to continue.

He says he doesn't want us getting too carried away when in a few days we can't be together. It's not what I want to hear at all but I know he's right. It's already hard not being able to truly be with him but if we let things continue tonight, it'll make it that much harder on the both of us. He instead wraps his arms tightly around me and his hand strokes the back of my hair. I breathe in his scent and place one more kiss against his chest and then let myself drift off to sleep again.

When I wake up next time, it's morning and the sun is just breaking the sky. Gale's arms are still around me. I push back a little and look up at him. He's awake.

"Morning." I say as he smiles down at me.

He reaches down and gently strokes the side of my cheek. "Morning beautiful. You woke up just in time. Check out that sunrise." He tells me as he gestures out the little window.

"I love pink sunrises."

"You should see some of the ones I see sometimes."

I know he means out in the woods. "I'd love to see one with you sometime." I tell him, hoping he'll invite me to come along.

"No way. Your father'd kill me."

"Not if he didn't know."

"Uh-uh. I'm not even supposed to talk to you. I damn sure can't take you out there to watch the sunrise."

"Guess I'll have to settle for this then." I sigh as I watch from the window.

He nudges my head with his chin. "I'd take you if I could. But I can't."

"I understand. We'll probably have breakfast on the train and then arrive at the Capitol before lunch."

"Time's going by too fast." He mutters.

"Agreed. I am sorry I haven't come up with a plan yet. I am trying."

"Not like I've had any bright ideas over here." He sort of laughs. "I do wish it could be different though." He adds.

"It will be. I'll find a way." I reassure him and myself too for that matter.

At breakfast, the train is all abuzz with an upcoming feast in the games. A feast may sound like a good thing to those who don't know better but I know it's bad and I'm sure Gale knows it too. A feast is just a sneaky, underhanded way to get tributes to come together for a mini version of the bloodbath. The gamemakers know what each tribute is desperate for and use that to lure them all together. For some, it means food or water. Others may get medicine or even weaponry. But all of that does you no good if you die trying to retrieve it. Gale and I exchange a nervous look over our breakfasts but don't say anything until we're back in his room later.

"She's so stupid!" He rants when he realizes Katniss intends to go to the feast.

"She'll be careful. She always is." I offer up.

"She doesn't need a damn thing right now! If she was smart, she'd get her ass over there and up a tree so she could shoot them all when they go to get their stuff!"

I keep quiet. I know he needs to just vent.

"And who is he to her anyway? Huh? Some townie that she barely knows? She's gonna risk her own damn life to get HIM some medicine! I can't believe how stupid she's being!"

I hold my tongue at the comment about Peeta being a "townie". I've always hated that term and I hate it even more when it's used in this way. As if Peeta doesn't deserve to have someone care about him just because he's from town. I know that isn't what his point is so I bite my tongue and let him keep venting. I see his point too. Katniss isn't thinking only about herself and that's probably the thing she should be doing most right now. I know she and Peeta don't know each other well but I have a feeling that in the unique circumstances that are the games, you probably experience emotion on a magnified level. If she likes him at all, she very likely feels it much greater inside the pressures of the arena. And Katniss isn't a cold hearted person. He needs her help. She won't ignore that.

As I sit, pondering over the games and the new twist of the feast, something occurs to me. The invitation here was to interview the friends and family of the final five. But there are more than five tributes left. There are six. I'd completely forgotten about the little redheaded girl from five. She's played so low key this whole time that I completely forgot about her. And if they still have six tributes left, but already invited us to interview, they must be expecting a death very soon. I guess they had to factor in travel time and have all of us there, ready to interview just in case but someone won't be interviewed. I don't mention to Gale what I've just realized. Not while he's all in a rage about Katniss going to the feast. Instead I say a silent prayer to myself that she survives and that today isn't the day she's going to die. I'm not sure Gale can handle being in the Capitol when and if she dies.

He finally stops venting but he's still fuming when I feel the train lurch to a stop at the Capitol station.

"Gale, they'll probably take us to our accommodations now and have stylist come get us ready for the interviews." I prepare him as I go over and stand between his knees as he sits on the bed.

"Whatever." He grumbles.

I take his face in my hands and kiss his lips. "I know you don't feel like it at all but right now, it's going to be very important that you put on a show of excitement. You cannot let them see you show any emotion other than a positive one." I caution softly.

He doesn't say anything but sits there, anger still dancing in his eyes and on his face.

I wrap my arms around him and hug him. "Do it for her. You don't want to give her negative attention." I whisper to him as I release him and step back.

He nods and exhales deeply. I hold out my hand and give him a smile. I know this is hard for him and I know he's trying his best. I just hope that's good enough not to stir up any trouble while we're here.

**(Gale POV)**

I'm pacing back and forth across the room they gave me when there's a knock at my door. Assuming it's Madge, I go over and throw it open, anxious to see anyone who can lighten my mood. Instead I get Haymitch.

"I can't stay long, just wanted to remind you that she's still collecting sponsors and I need you not to screw up your interview." He says as he pushes passed me into the room.

"Wasn't planning on screwing up." I retort.

"No one ever is. She's popular. Real popular. The gamemakers aren't liking all her little acts of mercy though and they're gonna be gunning for her however they can. Don't be surprised if they try to get you to make her look bad in the interview. You'll need to watch what you say and keep that temper of yours in check. Got it?" He tells me as he heads for the door again.

"Got it." I tell him. His words, while initially ticking me off, now make me nervous. It isn't good for gamemakers to not favor her. They can really let her have it if they want to. I'm gonna need Madge to really take the lead on the interview tonight. It's her area of skill, not mine.

After the stylist fixes me up, I'm led to another large room where other interviewees are gathering. Madge is here already. She's got on a blue dress that has everyone staring at her, as if she's the only one in the room. She's breathtaking. I stare at her myself for a minute before realizing I can actually go up and talk to her.

"Damn Undersee." I whisper in her ear as I come up behind her, kissing her earlobe.

She blushes but turns to me and laughs. "Not looking too shabby yourself there Hawthorne." She teases back as she smoothes her hands over my shirt.

"Did Haymitch come find you?" I whisper.

Worry suddenly creases her forehead. "No, why? What's wrong?" She whispers and steps us off to the side.

"Nothing yet. He just told me not to screw up the interview and that the gamemakers aren't liking her being so merciful to the other tributes." I whisper, keeping my eyes on the room to make sure no one hears us.

"Rue. That little girl from 11." Madge says as she nods to herself.

"You're gonna have to really help me up there." I warn her, as if she didn't already know that.

"Well, lucky for us, I'm not too bad at this." She says with a smile. Her dress makes her blue eyes standout that much more and I sort of get lost for a moment staring at her again.

A Capitol woman claps her hands and brings the room to silence. "We will not be needing those of you here for the girl from District 2. You may return to your rooms." She announces and then moves right along without another glance. "The rest of you should line up according to your respective districts. We'll be bringing you out in groups shortly."

"She made it through the feast." Madge whispers, tugging on my sleeve to get me to lean down.

"What? How do you know?"

"They just released the people here for Clove. That means it's truly down to just five now!"

I'm confused and she can tell because she launches into explanation. "When they brought us here, there were still six left. Clove must have died in the feast! They'll probably show us footage during the interviews! Us still being here means she still alive!"

I hadn't even realized it wasn't down to five before now. I'm glad Clove is out. She was scary for such a short girl. It was her knife throwing that had almost taken out Catnip in the first few moments of the game. I'm still livid as hell at Catnip for being stupid enough to go to the feast in the first place but I feel a lot better now that Madge pointed out us being here, waiting to interview means she's still alive. I lean against the wall and give Madge's hand a squeeze.

When they have the guests from 11 up on stage for interview, I start to get nervous. There's a huge crowd out there and this is gonna air all over Panem. And Haymitch's warning doesn't make me any more relaxed about this whole thing either.

"Just remember, don't let them get a glimpse at the real you. Keep your honest opinions to yourself and just say what you know they'll like hearing." Madge whispers. "And don't forget to smile a little." She adds as she disappears through the door when they call us. I follow behind her and try to hide the tension I'm sure is showing on my face.

"Welcome to the Capitol! We're so excited to have you here!" Ceaser greets as we take a seat on the small loveseat that's facing him.

"Thank you for having us, we're delighted to be here!" Madge replies, her voice smooth and inviting.

I just nod and force a little smile. My palms are sweating like crazy and I can barely focus. I've never been nervous like this before.

"So, you two have to fill me in on this picture. I'm just dying to know the story behind it all." He says as he puts our kissing picture up on the screen behind us. Huh. Madge was spot on when she said they'd mention the kissing picture.

Madge flashes a brilliant smile and then looks lovingly at me. "Well, Gale and I have a mutual friend in Katniss but we'd never really gotten to know one another until our friend volunteered for this year's games. After that, we sort of just found each other and the rest is well, right there for everyone to see."

"The games, bringing young hearts together. Don't you just love it?" He asks the audience. They roar with applause.

"And tell me Gale, how do you know Katniss?"

I go to speak but my voice cracks so I have to stop and clear my throat. "We've known each other since we were little. Our father's worked together in the mines."

"And was there ever any romance between you two?"

"Me and Katniss? No, she's more like a little sister than a girlfriend."

"Well, they can't all be lovers can they?" He dramatically whispers to me. Laughter fills the air from the audience.

"And how are the two of you feeling about your dear Katniss?"

I look at Madge. I need her to field this one.

"I just couldn't be more proud of her for still hanging in there. Final five is something that doesn't happen often in our district." Madge beams.

"No, it doesn't. Actually, your little Katniss has been quite the surprise this year. First with the volunteering, then with that top notch score. And again with her staying power in the games. How do you think she'll place when it's all said and done?"

"Being that she's been full of surprises every step of the way so far, I can't imagine what she'll end up doing!" Madge replies eagerly.

"And how about your thoughts, Gale? Do you think your Katniss is going to pull out the win?"

Shit. How do I answer? "Well, I hope she wins." I say.

"Of course you do. But deep down, do you really think she can pull out the win and come home a victor?" He asks again, not accepting my first, lame answer.

I hesitate, trying to come up with an answer. "I know she's got it in her. Just needs to stay more focused is all."

I feel Madge squeeze my hand as if warning me that I'm treading to close to sharing personal feelings.

"I think that when it's down to the final five like this, all you should do is keep your eyes on the end game and do everything possible to come home a victor!" Madge adds, deflecting attention off me.

"Right you are Miss Undersee, right you are! Well, let's watch a little clip of what happened at the feast, shall we?"

My stomach does a flip flop and I look towards the screen. I watch as Katniss makes a run for the bag in front of the cornucopia. I watch as Clove attacks and gets the upper hand. All the while Madge, soothingly runs her hand back and forth over my knee, as if to remind me that the feast ends okay and that Katniss is still alive. And I'm glad she's doing it because it takes everything in me not to cringe as I watch the knife cut on Katniss's forehead drip with blood. It looks deep. The giant guy from 11 intervenes and kills Clove. He then does his own little act of mercy and spares her but with the warning that it's a one time thing. I'm relieved but not comfortable yet since her head is still injured. The screen flickers off as Katniss darts off into the woods, bag in hand.

"That was one close call!" Ceaser exclaims and looks to us for reaction.

"I was on the edge of my seat the whole time!" Madge laughs, hand to chest, eyes wide.

"Weren't we all? And it looks like that's all we have time for tonight. Again, I thank you so much for joining me here tonight and I wish the two of you all the happiness young, new love deserves!" Ceaser says as he kisses both of Madge's cheeks and shakes my hand.

We walk of the stage and once we're in the back room, I feel like a huge weight is lifted off me. It's over and done and I survived.

"Don't worry about her head. There will be medicine in that bag she got at the feast." Madge reassures me quietly.

"Good. It looked bad."

"Want to get out of here or do you want to stay for the cocktail party?" Madge asks.

"Do you really have to ask?" I give her a look and start pulling her towards the door.

We go to my room and once the door closes behind us, I can't help but ask. "Did I do alright?"

She smiles. "I think it went well."

"You were amazing, as expected."

She shakes her head as if it were no big deal. "It's what I do best." She shrugs.

"I beg to differ."

"You think I do something else better?" She asks with an eyebrow raised.

"Mmmhmm. Sure do." I tell her as I step towards her. "I think you wear that dress like nobody's business."

"Oh yeah?" She flirts back as my hands rest on her hips.

"Yep. And then there's the kissing. You're incredible at kissing." I whisper as I lean down and kiss her.

"And then there's the way you totally predicted how they'd talk to us about that kissing picture." I tell her as I lay another kiss on her.

"Easy call. Anyone could've made it."

"And the way you managed to keep me calm up there on stage? Total skill on your part."

"When you've been in the public eye you're whole life, being on stage and staying calm is just a given."

I realize I'm selling her talents short. "You know, not long ago, I would've thought there was nothing to you other than a pretty face and a title as Mayor's daughter. I was so wrong though. You know what made me start to see you differently? Your gracious spirit. You're one of the most selfless people I've ever met. You're smart and thoughtful and I consider myself lucky to have gotten to know this side of you. I hope you know how phenomenal I think you are." I tell her, hoping she can see how sincere I'm being.

She looks up at me, her eyes searching my face and I swear her eyes tear up for a second. It's this moment when I realize it for the first time; that I'm falling in love with her. And it's terrifying.

_**A/N: Just wanted to give everyone a heads up that things are going to start to go really off canon in the next few chapters. Thanks to all of you who read and review-you are much appreciated!**_


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter 19**

**(Madge POV)**

His compliment is full of sincerity and one of the most touching things he's ever said to me. I feel my eyes water and I have to swallow to keep from crying.

"For someone who doesn't like to interview, you sure have a way with words." I say as I smile up at him.

He leans down and kisses me, his hands resting lightly just over my hips. I lean forward and sigh into the kiss.

"We should check and see how Katniss is doing before we go to dinner." I tell him after our kiss breaks.

"Do we have to go to dinner?" He grumbles, tugging me closer and kissing down my cheek.

I playfully push him away and laugh. "Yes, we have to go to dinner. It's expected of us."

His face goes pouty.

"Come on, let's check on her. I want to make sure she made it back to the cave okay." I say as I go over and turn on the small screen on the wall.

We have to wait for Katniss to be shown but it doesn't look as if much is going on with anyone else. Cato seems to be the only person on the move, seemingly hunting for someone. Thresh I think. He's laying low in the fields, hidden in the tall grasses. The girl from 5 who Katniss calls Foxface, is hidden beneath some dense bushes, trying to stay warm in the sleeping bag she got at the feast. Finally, they show Peeta and Katniss. They're both asleep in the cave.

"She made it back to the cave." I breathe out.

"But is she okay? Look at all that blood." He comments as he gets closer to the screen.

I step closer to the screen and look at what he's pointing at. It's dim in the cave so it's hard to tell at first glance, but now looking more closely, I see that he's right. There's blood pooling all around her head on the floor of the cave. That cut must have been worse than I thought.

"Maybe it looks worse than it is." I offer up, attempting to stay positive.

"She's freaking unconscious in a pool of blood Madge, that's not just for show." He snaps.

I step back, startled by his tone.

"Sorry, I'm just worried about her. Didn't mean it to come out that way." He apologizes.

"I know you are." I say. And I mean it. I know he wasn't trying to snap at me. I know how worried he is. Heck, I'm worried too.

"We still have some time before dinner. Let's watch for awhile. You never know, she may wake up in a few minutes and then she can use some of that medicine from the bag. There's still some left, see." I say as I point to the vial lying on the ground between her and Peeta.

He nods and we sit on the edge of his bed, hands clutched tightly together as we stare at the screen, waiting for any sign of movement. But by the time we have to go to dinner, neither Katniss nor Peeta have woken up.

The dinner is a formal event with multiple courses. All of the guests from the interviews are present as well as Ceaser Flickerman and a slew of important Capitol people. President Snow isn't here but that doesn't surprise me because he rarely attends dinners with people from the districts. No, he likes to keep company with important people only. And I'm perfectly fine with his absence. If he were here, dinner would just carry on all that much longer.

Dinner drags on, each course served in painfully slow fashion. It's probably some of the finest food in all of Panem but I don't taste anything as I eat it. All I can think about is whether or not Katniss is going to wake up or if she's going to bleed out right there on the cave floor. Gale is surely thinking the same thing because he does nothing but fidget all through dinner, barely even eating.

I do my best to make polite table talk with those seated around me, occasionally nudging Gale so he'll nod or something and at least look as if he's present in the conversation. Most of the conversation is about the games and about the feast. I do notice that there is some talk about Katniss's stunt with Rue. They seem to think it's admirable how she placed flowers around the girl's body after she died. A rare show of kindness in the games. It makes me nervous since Haymitch had warned Gale the gamemakers hadn't liked it but I try not to read too much into it. So many things happen in the games and I'm sure they'll forget about it as soon as the next new thing happens with someone else. By the time dessert is placed in front of us, I'm about to burst with anxiety. All I want is to get back to my room and see what's going on in the games. To see if Katniss is awake yet.

As soon as I finish my bread pudding, Gale leans over and whispers to me. "Can we go now?"

"Not yet. It's not good to be the first to leave." I whisper back and nod towards his own dessert. "Eat some of it. As soon as someone else goes, we will too."

He begrudgingly picks up his fork and shoves a bite of his bread pudding in his mouth. He chews quietly and I turn my attention back to the table talk. Finally, someone else leaves and we can go.

We say our goodnights to those around us and then head back to Gale's room. As soon as we turn on the screen, we see Katniss and Peeta still asleep. At first I think that nothing has changed but then I see that it has.

"Look! She's moved! And her wound isn't bleeding anymore! They must have woken up while we were at dinner!" I cry out as I point excitedly at the screen.

A long exhale comes from Gale and his whole body relaxes. "That's good. That's good."

I fold my hand into his and smile over at him. "It's good." I agree.

"That's all I needed to see." He says as he reaches over and turns off the screen, runs his hands over his face.

"Me too. You didn't eat much at dinner. Want me to have them bring something to the room?"

He shakes his head. "I ate enough."

"Tired?" I ask as he sits down on the bed.

"Mentally, yes. I don't know how you do this sort of thing on a regular basis. I couldn't do it, that's for sure."

"What? Be around all the Capitol people?" I ask as I stand in front of him and loop my arms around his neck.

"That. And the interviews. And the talking at dinner. And all the rules you follow. It's exhausting." He elaborates as he wraps his arms around my waist.

"I don't care for the Capitol people. And I don't love the interviews. I don't enjoy the dinner conversations. But the rules, those I hate the most. Especially ones that keep me from you."

"Well I'm here now. And so are you." He points out flirtatiously.

"To hell with the rules then." I whisper against his lips as I lean forward for a kiss.

**(Gale POV)**

I kiss her and try to savor the moment. I'm not ready for us to go back to reality yet. I want more time with her. I want her to stay with me again tonight like she did last night. Last night was on accident of course but she didn't seem to mind when she woke up in my room.

"Stay here tonight?" I ask her.

"I'd love too. Let me go change out of these clothes though. This fancy stuff is never comfortable." She tells me as she slips off her heels.

"Is this dress gonna end up like that red one?" I ask, remembering how she said she can't wear dresses twice if she's worn them in interviews.

She sighs. "Yes, it's getting thrown out if that's what you mean."

"Damn shame." I say as I shake my head and take one last, long look at her in it. She sure looks incredible all dolled up. Course she looks incredible most all the time. This is just more stunning I suppose.

"There are always more dresses waiting to be worn, don't worry." She teases as she rolls her eyes and leaves my room.

I kick off my own shoes and dress clothes. I pull on the bathrobe hanging on the bathroom door. It's funny how they make these rooms so luxurious right down to the little details like having plush bathrobes and little rose shaped soaps. I should be angry about it. I should hate that they keep all this money to themselves while we back home in the Seam always struggle to make ends meet. And it does bother me but I can't lie and say I haven't enjoyed being a little spoiled for once. I figure the Capitol owes me that much for keeping me poor all my life. The least they can do is make me comfortable for a few days. But as I think this to myself, I can't ignore the little voice in the back of my mind calling me a traitor for enjoying it.

Madge knocks once and then comes in without waiting for me to answer. She's in her bathrobe as well, purple pajama pants peeking out from beneath them. Hair knotted up on top of her head. Face washed clear of all traces of the makeup she'd worn earlier.

"You don't have to wear the robe for my benefit you know." She tells me when she sees me.

"Seems I recall a certain someone getting all pink in the cheeks when I didn't have one on yesterday." I tease with a laugh.

"You caught me off guard is all." She defends.

"Uh-huh." I smirk as I lose the robe and toss it over the chair. And then I stand there as she instantly blushes and turns her face, trying to hide it.

"My, my. Those are some awfully pink cheeks you have there." I tease as I go over and try to see her face.

"Shut up. It isn't my fault you look like that!" She says as she playfully pushes me away.

"Like what?" I mock.

She turns and rolls her eyes. "I think we both know how great you look without a shirt on."

"Ah, you admit it!" I say as I fold one hand around her side and tug her towards me.

She covers her face with her hands. I laugh as I pry them off her face and smile at her. Her cheeks are deep red now. I've totally embarrassed her. "Come on Pink Cheeks, time for bed." I tease as I pull her towards the bed.

"You're so mean Gale Hawthorne." She teases back. Before she climbs into bed she pulls the tie on her robe and lets it fall to the floor and kicks off her slippers. Now I find myself staring at her. Her purple tank top hugging her curves and her pajama pants showing off just a hint of her mid-drift. My hands instantly need to touch her and I pull her close against me under the covers.

"I really like this you know. Being able to sleep with you all night." She yawns as she settles into my arms, her back against my chest.

"Me too. Sleeping has never been this enjoyable before. I love holding you close like this but even then I can't seem to get close enough to you." I say hugging her tighter to me and kissing her neck. I know that I shouldn't but I can't help it. Her skin is soft against my lips and she tilts her head, allowing me to kiss more of her.

"I thought you thought this was a bad idea." She says in a breathy voice.

"I do." I say between kisses before finally stopping.

"You didn't have to stop." She encourages.

"Yeah, I did. Don't trust myself enough not too." I whisper against her neck.

She groans in annoyance.

"I know it sucks. I'm sorry." I say, my lips still resting in the curve of her neck.

"It only sucks because I know that you're right. It's going to be so hard not being with you when we get home."

"I don't want to even think about it."

She rolls over to face me. "Then let's not think about it. Let's just be here together right now."

"Together right now." I echo and then kiss her forehead. She snuggles herself closer to my chest and I hold tight to her. This right now business isn't going to be enough for me. I'm going to have to find a way for us to be together. Spending these couple days with just her has done nothing but make me want, no, need more of her. I really feel myself falling in love with her. I won't tell her yet though. Not when things are so messed up for us. But eventually, I'll find a way and I'll tell her. I fall asleep holding her, feeling her breath against my chest.

The next morning when I wake up, she's gone. Completely gone. How'd I sleep through her leaving? I get up and look at the clock. It's early. Did she get up in the middle of the night and leave? I get up and go down to her room and knock on the door. When she doesn't answer, I take a chance and open the door. I see her pajamas on the floor and new clothes layed out on the bed. And I hear the shower running. She must have just woken up early and gone to get ready for breakfast. I relax and then laugh at myself for panicking about waking up without her.

Back in my room, I sneak a quick look at the games. I see Katniss out and about, hunting for food. She looks so much better and the gash on her head is all pink and closed up. That Capitol medicine must really be something to have it looking so much better so fast.

After seeing that she's okay, I hop in the shower myself and again find myself lingering in there just because of how soothing the hot stream of water feels. This may very well be my favorite Capitol luxury. I wrap a towel around my waist and go to find clean clothes to put on. By the time I'm dressed, Madge comes back in, looking all perfect and proper again.

"Well don't you look pretty this morning." I say as I greet her with a little kiss.

"Morning."

"How'd you sneak out this morning without waking me up? I'm usually a really light sleeper."

She laughs. "You were out cold. Snoring and everything."

"I do not snore thank you very much."

"Oh yes you do! At least you did last night."

"I blame it on that bed. It's too comfortable. At home, I never snore and there's no way you could've slipped away without me waking up."

"Oh I'm sure." She says making great fun of me. "You ready to head to the breakfast?"

"Why are meals around here such a long drawn out affair?" I ask as I dread sitting through another lengthy, formal meal.

"The Capitol does everything in dramatic fashion. Meals are no exception." She shrugs and we head out the door.

In the banquet hall, the table is set just as fancy as it was for dinner but with all new stuff. New flowers, new china. And I can smell breakfast. It smells fantastic. Madge and I find our seats and when I look to the placecard at the seat next to me, I'm surprised to find Haymitch's name on it. He wasn't at the dinner last night so I hadn't expected him to be here this morning.

"Hey, look who's gonna be here." I elbow Madge.

She nods. "Looks like the Mentors from all the districts are here." She tells me as she nods towards other people at the tables. I don't know them all like she does so I only recognize a face or two.

They're just bringing around the breakfast when Haymitch finally shows and drops with a thud into the seat next to me.

"Hey, if you're here, who's watching and keeping an eye on Katniss?" I ask.

"Effie." He grunts as he shoves croissant into his mouth.

I don't say anything else because he isn't one for chit chat. I've seen him around over the years or occasionally in the Hob if he's running low on liquor. He tends to keep to himself.

Madge does the same at this meal as she did at dinner the night before, carrying conversation for the both of us and making it only necessary for me to occasionally nod or agree with something. She's so good at playing her part and she does it so flawlessly that no one would ever know she wasn't enjoying herself.

I manage to eat a lot more than I did at dinner. Mostly because I'm not so worried about Catnip at the moment. I know she's still in danger just being in the games but at least she's up and healthy and not unconscious in that cave anymore. Haymitch, true to form doesn't chat at all during the meal. Eats plenty though.

At the end of the meal, Madge and I get up to leave and Haymitch stands as well.

"How about a quick tour before you head over to the train station?" He asks in an odd tone. I'm still trying to figure out why he's suddenly interested in talking when Madge steps in and answers.

"Oh that would be just wonderful!" She exclaims as she takes his arm and lets him lead her from the room. She glances back at me and something in her eyes tells me to go with them.

He walks us through a series of hallways, occasionally pointing out a painting or sculpture. It seems so odd, him showing off this place like he's proud of it or something. The Haymitch I know of, could give two shits about pictures and statues. Something's up.

Eventually, we end up in a small room that doesn't seem to be entered much. It's dusty in here and the air smells stale. There's chairs stacked up and some crates. He shuts the door behind us.

"We've only got about a minute or so. Just listen, don't ask questions." He orders in a hushed voice.

I stare at him. Madge just nods once for him to continue.

"There may be trouble coming to 12 if Katniss doesn't stop testing the gamemakers. They're pissed. Snow's pissed. She's got too many people in other districts talking and they don't like it one bit. That boy from 11 shoulda killed her but he let her go because she took mercy on that little girl. Her act of kindness led to his act of kindness. Snow doesn't want kindness. He wants kills."

"What do we need to do?" Madge asks quietly.

"Keep your eyes and ears open. Pay attention. Watch for the unusual." He instructs. "It may all blow over but just incase it doesn't, I wanted you to know." He says while looking directly at Madge.

She nods and then gives him a quick hug while I stare at the strange sight and try to take in what all he just said.

"You look out for her." He tells me, in a stern father-like voice.

Before I can process it all, Haymitch opens the door and continues on down another hallway as our tour guide. I follow them and try to understand what just happened.

He leads us back to our rooms and reminds Madge to keep watering his plants while he gone, then disappears down the hallway. Now alone in my room, I turn to Madge for an explanation.

She shakes her head as if not to talk about it right now. "Looks like we'll have just enough time to make it to the train. You ready to go?" She asks in a chipper voice.

I nod and take her hand as we make our way to the train station, not talking at all. My mind is in a total panic as it runs over the last hour. Haymitch went out of his way to warn of trouble coming to 12 but he didn't say what sort of trouble. He told us that Katniss has caused a stir that isn't settling down. He and Madge apparently know each other pretty well but I've never known of them associating with one another. Madge knew him well enough to know that when he suggested we take a tour that he was trying to get us alone. She never even missed a beat while I stood there all puzzled as hell. He'd practically ordered me to look out for her. And whatever all of this meant, it wasn't safe to discuss in a Capitol building. I glance over at Madge as we wait to board the train home. She's got a soft smile plastered across her face but the grip she has on my hand tells a different story. I have no idea what's going on and I'm really hoping that once we board this train, she can fill in some of the blanks for me.


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter 20**

**(Gale POV)**

"What in the hell was that?" I ask her as soon as we're on the train and alone in my room.

"A warning. And I think we need to take it seriously." She says in a low voice.

"You've gotta start at the beginning, how do you know Haymitch well enough for him to feel like he needs to give you a warning?"

"Haymitch is my Godfather. I suppose most no one really knows that." She begins as she takes a seat in the armchair.

"Your Godfather? What is that?" I ask now even more confused.

"An old religious thing they used to do in the old ages. When a baby is born, the parents choose someone to be the Godfather or Godmother of the baby. Should the real parents ever die, the Godparent becomes responsible for the child. And they're supposed to always look out for them, no matter what."

"And your parents picked Haymitch?" I scoff picturing him as a drunken mess and holding a baby. Just doesn't seem right.

"Haymitch was friends with my mother and my aunt, back when they were younger. The games he won, those were the games my aunt died in. He was close with her and I think he always felt guilty that he lived and she died. Before he was drunk all the time, he used to spend most all his time with my mother."

"Wow. So it's kind of like you two are related." I say aloud as I let it sink in. "How come I've never seen you around him before? And is it like a secret that he's your Godfather?"

"Not a secret, just rarely ever comes up is all. And I don't spend much time with him, certainly not in public. My father doesn't like him, never has. Once my mother got so sick that she was bedridden, he stopped letting Haymitch visit her. Made up some story about how the doctors said she couldn't have visitors. I don't think that part is true though, I think he's just jealous. My mother and Haymitch had a special bond." She explains as she twirls a lock of her hair around her finger.

"So how did you know that he needed to speak to us in private when he suggested a tour?"

She looks at me and raises an eyebrow. "You thought he actually wanted to show us around?"

"Well, no, I just didn't seem to catch on as quick as you did."

"I think it's just me knowing how he is. Or maybe me knowing more about the Capitol. I could just tell he needed us to go with him." She shrugs.

"And what do you think he meant about trouble coming to 12?"

"Capitol trouble. Like our district might be punished as a way to show other districts that they won't tolerate compassion in their precious games."

"I got that. Just curious if you knew what we should be watching out for is all."

"Anything that seems out of the ordinary." She shrugs as if she isn't sure herself.

"And what exactly are we supposed to do when and if we do notice something?"

"I'm not sure yet. But as soon as we get home, I'll find out. Did you catch what he said about me watering his plants?"

"Yeah, what about it?"

"I've never once watered a plant for him. He was giving me a clue of sorts. When we get home I'm going to have to go to his house and figure it out. There must be something there, something near a plant that will let me know what to do. It's the only thing I can assume right now."

"I'm coming with you." I tell her.

"No, Victor's Village is too close to my house. If my father saw you, You'd be in trouble for sure. He'd think we were using Haymitch's house to sneak around and see each other or something."

"You'll let me know what you find though at least?"

"Of course I will."

"I wish there something we could do to let Katniss know she's messing up. Seems like that would be the easiest way to fix everything." I say.

She's dead quiet and I expected her to respond some sort of way so I look up at her. She's wringing her hands in her lap and chewing her bottom lip.

"What?" I ask.

"Gale, I think it may be too late for Katniss to do anything about it." She says so quietly I can barely make out the words.

"How so?"

"It's just, well, they're no longer seeing compassion come from just Katniss. It's spreading. Thresh didn't kill her at the feast like they expected and wanted. And the reason he didn't was out of compassion and gratitude. He had a perfect shot at taking her out of the game and instead he chose to let her live. And it's more than that. People at dinner were talking about how Katniss honored Rue with those flowers. And they were saying favorable things about it. If the Capitol hears people speaking admirably about acts of kindness in the games, they won't like it. That's not what they want the games to show. They can't risk having an arena full of tributes who refuse to kill one another. We have to play the game by their rules or they will punish us." She spells it out for me in detail. Her voice is shakey and she looks scared.

I go over to the chair and sit on the arm of it as I run my hand back and forth over her back. "It'll be alright." As I say it, I don't know that I believe it myself but all I want is to make her feel better. To make her feel safe.

After a few minutes she stands up. "You're right. It's too soon for me to get all worked up and worried."

"It's okay to worry, I worry too. I just don't like seeing you look scared." I tell her as I cup her face with my hands.

"We're going to need to a meeting place. Somewhere I can come find you and tell you what I find at Haymitch's house. I want to be able to check in with you." She tells me.

"So should we make it the riverbed or the janitor's closet?" I ask with a half smile.

"Riverbed. Less chance of getting caught."

"Riverbed it is. I'll go there each night. If you need me, for anything, that's where you can find me."

"You know we can't tell anyone about what Haymitch said to us, right?"

"I know."

She rests her head on my lap and sits quietly while I continue to rub her back. "I still haven't come up with any ideas about how to keep us together." She says quietly.

"Come here you." I tell her as I lift her up and out of the chair so that she's standing facing me. "We have just a little longer together before we're forced apart again. What do you say we forget all about the Capitol. Forget all about your Father. Forget about Haymitch. Forget it all for the next few hours and just be selfish with our time."

"But how do we do that? Gale, I'm so stressed out about everything that I can't even get my mind to sort it all out."

I plant little kisses on her forehead and run my hands over her arms. "All of the problems we have will be happily waiting for us when this train pulls into the station. Nothing we do right now is going to change any of that."

She lets out a frustrated breath and then gives me the saddest of smiles. "You're probably right."

"I'm very right." I tell her with a smile. I only have this afternoon and tonight left with her before I have to pretend to hate her again and I don't want that time to be tense and stressful.

"Before we stop worrying, can we just check on Katniss first? I just want to make sure she's still okay."

"Come on, let's take a look." I stand up and lead her over to the bed and use the panel to drop the viewing screen down.

Peeta and Katniss are both out in the woods but not right with one another. She's got her bow and working on scoring some game and he's gathering berries. The camera keeps coming back to him and I can't figure out why until it zooms in on what exactly he's gathering. Freaking nightlock berries.

"Oh shit, he's so stupid." I say under my breath.

"What?" Madge asks, not understanding.

"The berries he's gathering, they're poison." I explain.

"How do you know?"

"Seen it before. One bite of those and he'll be dead in seconds."

"Oh my God Gale! He's gathering food for him and Katniss! She's going to eat them and die!" She cries out, her hand covering her mouth.

I pull her into my lap and wrap my arms around her. "No, Katniss won't eat that. She'll know better."

"Are you sure? Gale, what if she eats that without looking closely? What if she forgot what it looks like?"

"Shhhh, don't worry. She knows better." I try to reassure her. I'm not the least bit worried. Katniss and I have seen it plenty of times out in the woods and we both know better than to mistake it for safe food.

"But he doesn't know. What if he eats some before he gets back to her." She worries.

I don't answer because honestly, I know he needs to die if she's gonna win. But I know Madge sorta knows the guy and probably doesn't want to see him die.

"How about we turn this off? No need to watch, I promise she'll know what it is and would never eat it." I suggest so she won't have to see it if Peeta does die.

"If you're sure…" She says uneasily.

"Trust me." I whisper against her temple as I reach over and turn off the screen.

"I trust you." She mumbles.

"Good to hear." I tell her as I kiss her, hoping it'll distract her and get her mind off what's going on in the games.

She shifts in my lap to kiss me back but then breaks from the kiss. "Want to go grab lunch?"

"Not really." I say as I go in for another kiss.

A muffled laugh comes from beneath my lips.

"What's so funny?" I ask.

"You are. Come on, let's go eat. We can come back here afterwards and you can kiss me all you want." She promises as she climbs off my lap and starts pulling me towards the door.

"I'm holding you to that." I warn her as I follow her out of the room.

In the dining car, we find a table and order our food. I eat as much as I can, knowing I'm about out of free meals. And I still try to silence that nagging voice in the back of my head that guilts me for enjoying the perks of this Capitol trip. I'm one bite into my ice cream sundae when a group of travelers come into the dining car and I overhear them saying how it's down to a final four now. I drop my spoon and Madge goes ghostly white.

"We need to go." She says as she stands and shoves her ice cream dish forward.

I get up and follow her out of the car and back into my room. She takes a deep breath as she presses the panel to turn the screen on.

The screen shows us Cato, deep in the grassy field. Thresh still far from where Cato is searching. The cameras continue to show them and we aren't seeing anything else that's going on.

"If it isn't one of them, then who was it?" Madge asks in a panicked tone that I've never heard.

"It won't be her." I say but my mouth feels all dry and cottony suddenly.

We both sit, hands clenched tight to one another as we suffer through the next half hour of Cato and Thresh footage. Finally, we get a shot of Katniss and Peeta. Overwhelming relief fills me I let myself fall back on to the pile of pillows behind me. Madge falls back too and lets her head rest on the pillow next to mine.

"That was terrifying." She says.

"Yeah, it was." I agree.

She rolls onto her side and props herself up on her elbow and smooths out the skirt of her dress.

"Hey, can I ask you a question?" I ask suddenly realizing something.

"Sure."

"How come you never wear pants?"

"What? That's your question?" She laughs as she falls back onto the pillows again.

"Well you don't. You always wear skirts or dresses. I never realized it before but just now I did. It's weird."

"So now it's weird?"

"No, not what I meant. I mean, you look marvelous no matter what, but I just wondered if there was a reason or something." I stumble over my words as I try to explain.

She smiles and rolls over onto my chest a little. "I have to wear them. It's one of those rules I hate so much."

"There's a rule about you having to wear dresses?" I ask thinking she must be joking. What kind of stupid ass rule requires her to wear dresses?

"Yes. I've got rules for practically everything."

"Why though? Why would anyone care if you wore dresses or pants?"

"It's too embarrassing and ridiculous to explain."

"Well now I have to know." Suddenly more curious than I was before.

"Okay, but you can't laugh at me." She warns.

"I'll be on my best behavior, I swear it." I say as I mockingly cross my heart.

"I can't wear pants because it isn't a woman's place. Women aren't supposed to put themselves in a man's place and well, men wear pants so women have to wear dresses."

I don't laugh but my mouth does fall open. "Seriously? Who came up with that crap?"

"Have you never noticed that in the Capitol, all the women wear dresses too? And that none of the Panem leaders are women?"

Huh. I never have noticed that but now that she says it, I know she's right. "Never noticed. So do you have to follow all the Capitol rules?"

"Do you not like my dresses? I could swear that just last night you couldn't shut up about my dress and how much you liked it."

"Oh I love your dresses. Especially this one. This one's awful pretty." I say as I run my hands over her skirted legs.

"Is that so?" She flirts leaning closer to my face to kiss me.

"Mmhmm." I mumble through our kiss.

Her legs move to lay over mine and I pull her on top of me, kissing her as I do. My hands resting on her lower back. I kiss her deeper and pull her tighter against me. She breaks away from the kiss and hovers over me, staring down at me. "Thought you didn't want to get carried away?"

"Who's getting carried away? Besides, thought when we came back here I could kiss you all I wanted." I remind her.

"Me. I'm going to get carried away if you don't stop kissing me like that."

"I won't let you, don't worry, just kiss me." I tell her as I pull her back down into another deep kiss. I know I shouldn't kiss her like this but I have too.

"Well don't say I didn't warn you." She breathes against my neck before I feel her lips close against my skin. It drives me wild. I moan a little and move my hands down to her legs. She tugs at the buttons of my shirt and I feel her hand against skin. I raise up and peel off my shirt, tossing it to the floor. Her lips glide down from my neck onto chest. Every kiss of her lips making me want more of her. I roll us over so that she's lying back on the bed and I'm the one hovering over her. I stare down at her. Her chest rising and falling quickly. Her blue eyes intense and sparkling. And I'm sure of it now. I'm no longer falling. I'm full on in love with her now.

I reach up and run my hand through her hair. She kisses me again, pulling me down against her. Her kiss is frenzied and my hands move over her, along her side and over the curves of her chest. I feel her arch her back upwards and a sigh floats through the air.

"You have no idea how badly I want you right now." I say breathlessly as I feel myself dangerously close to crossing the line I'd drawn for us earlier.

"I want you too."

Her words do as much for me as her touch and her lips. I run my mouth along her jaw and over her ear. I feel her hands on my belt and it takes everything in me to stop her.

"No. We can't." I mumble.

"Yes, we can." She argues, her hands undoing the belt and now working to unbutton my pants. I let her continue until my pants are on the floor with my shirt and somehow I find my hands have unzipped her dress which is coming off as well. I sit up.

"No, really, we should wait."

"I don't want to." She insists as she moves towards me.

"Me neither but please trust me when I say this will mean so much more when we're actually together."

She doesn't say anything, just sits up and fixes her dress, zipping it back up. Her face is flushed and her hair a mess. I pull her towards me. "I'm sorry. Don't be mad."

"I'm not mad Gale. Annoyed that we keep ending up in the same spot but more annoyed with the situation than with you." She sighs as she pushes away and stands up.

I stand up so I can hug her but she shakes her head and holds her hand up. "No, don't. I think for the moment it would be best as if I took a little walk and got some fresh air."

"Madge, don't leave."

"I'll be back, don't worry." She says as she smoothes her hair and walks out the door leaving me standing here with my heart caught in my throat.


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter 21**

**(Madge POV)**

I make my way to my own room and close the door behind me, leaning against it for a moment. Why can't my life just be simple and stress free? I let out a sigh and go over to sit on my bed. Between Haymitch's warning, the games and not being able to truly be with Gale, my mind is a muddled mess. All of it weighs so heavily on me that I'm not even sure which is stressing me out the most.

Haymitch's warning could end up being nothing more than just a warning that never leads to anything. If the buzz about Katniss and all her kindness settles down, then District 12 will have nothing to worry about. And in the meantime, all I need to do is keep my eyes open and watch for things that seem out of the ordinary. But again, if things don't calm down about the whole kindness stuff, then the district could be in serious trouble. Serious trouble. And the whole plant watering bit doesn't sit so easily either. I've only been inside his house once or twice ever and I certainly don't recall seeing any house plants. I only hope I know what I'm looking for when I see it.

As for Katniss, she has me constantly on edge with the games being down to the final four. She's doing so well but at the same time, I'm still uncomfortable about her not having the gamemakers on her side. She's actually probably lucky that they haven't created a way to eliminate her from the game already. I'm also somewhat concerned about the twist they put on the games about tributes from the same district being allowed to win together. They have never done anything like that before and it seems very out of character for them. I haven't mentioned it to anyone but I think it's a trick. Like a twist that's going to have another twist coming or something. Or maybe they'll find a way to eliminate either Katniss or Peeta so that they don't have to crown them as co-victors. Afterall, they are the last eligible tributes to win together.

And Gale. Oh my heart. He is probably the most complicated of all of it. I want more than ever to be his girlfriend. His official girlfriend. I want to be around him all the time, like I can't get enough of him. But in a few hours we can't even be seen speaking to one another. I want to intervene and let my father know exactly what I think about him and his blackmailing Gale to breakup with me. And I want to be able to do it without Gale's family starving to death. And I want him to stop making me want him so incredibly much. God, when he kisses me like he did in his room, wow, it's unbelievable the way it makes me feel and the way it makes me crave that much more of him. And then we end up at that part I despise so much where we break away and things don't go any further. It's true that initially I'd been the one to want to stop things from progressing but I feel different about him now. Different about us now. I'm certain he's the person I want to be with and I don't doubt how he feels about me. Which is why it's so frustrating when all I want is to feel my skin against his and he somehow finds the strength to make us keep our clothes on.

And now, because of all of these things, I'm alone in my stateroom trying to clear my head and wasting what little time I have left with Gale. If tonight is all I have left with him before we have to become strangers again then I shouldn't be in my room alone trying to clear my head. I should be with him making every second count.

I go back to the dining hall and find an avox. I'll need some help if I want to tonight to count for something. After that's all set, I go back to Gale's room and knock once as I open the door. I find him stretched out on his bed, arms behind his head. As soon as he sees it's me he sits up straight.

"Hey." He says and his voice sounds nervous. I think maybe I freaked him out by leaving like I did earlier.

"Hi."

"You okay?"

"I'm sorry I left like that. I was just overwhelmed and needed to clear my head."

"Overwhelmed about us?" He asks, voice still sounding nervous.

"About us, the games, Haymitch's warning. I thought I needed some time to think and sort things out but then I realized that I was being stupid because I have very little time with you and that clock is ticking and so I came back."

"I'm glad you're back but I am sorry you're overwhelmed." He says.

"It's okay. Right now, you're mine for a few more hours and I plan for both of us to enjoy that time."

A smile breaks across his face. "I like the sound of that."

"Me too. Which is why I arranged to have our dinner brought to your room tonight. We are going to have the best night together starting right now!"

"I can't imagine anywhere else I'd rather be." He says as I come up to him and stand between his legs, my arms around his neck.

We spend the next several hours actually talking, eating food until we're so stuffed we couldn't possibly eat another bite and just enjoying being in each other's company. He sits cross-legged in the floor and I lay with my head in his lap, his hand running through my hair as we talk. We talk for hours. Not about the games. Not about the Capitol. Not about our future together. We just talk.

By the time I can't fight back my yawning for another minute and my eyelids are drooping, I'm too exhausted to go back to my room and I'm seriously debating sleeping in my clothes.

"Let's go to bed." I suggest through a yawn.

"Don't you wanna go change first?"

"I'm too tired. I'll just sleep in my clothes. It's fine." I say as I start climbing into bed.

"Wait a minute." He says as he pulls off his shirt and hands it to me. "Here, take this. There's no way you'll be comfortable in that dress all night."

"Thanks." I say as I take it. I start to pull the zipper on my dress and slip out of my dress when I feel him come up behind me, his hands covering mine and helping me out of my dress. Still standing closely behind me, he brings his shirt down over my head and lets it slide down over me. It's the most sensual changing of clothes I've ever had. His breath tickles my ear and then he kisses me on my neck, just once. We climb into his bed and I curl up against him.

"Sweet dreams my love." He whispers.

My heart flutters and I try not to take it for more than a sweet nothing. Try anyway. I can't help but replay it over and over in my head. He called me his love.

The next morning, Gale wakes me up by planting light kisses on my face.

"Mmm, morning." I say as I greet him.

"It's just barely morning. Wanted you to see this sunrise." He tells me as he sits us up and taps the window.

I look out at the early morning sky and see a spectacular blend of pink and orange.

"Are you always awake this early?"

"Creature of habit."

"We'll be home soon."

"Shhh. Not now."

"We can't ignore it now Gale, we'll be there in a few hours."

"No talking during sunrises. It's my rule."

I give him a sleepy smile and curl myself up in his arms as we lay watching the daybreak outside. I love the feeling I get when he's holding me like this. It feels so comfortable. So right. Just thinking about what it'll feel like in a few hours when I can't even talk to him, much less be wrapped up in his arms makes my chest feel tight and makes it difficult to breathe. I'm still completely without a single thought or plan to get us back together. A small tear rolls down my cheek and I quickly go to wipe it away before he can see it.

"Hey, are you crying?" He asks as he lifts me up and shifts so he can see me.

I shake my head. "I'm fine." I lie.

"Don't lie to me. What's wrong? You're upset that we're almost home?"

I nod and the tears start falling and there's nothing I can do about it. I shut my eyes and put my hands over my face, not wanting him to see it. I feel him pull my hands gently away from my face and then I feel his fingers brush over my cheeks as he wipes away my tears.

"I'm so sorry." He whispers. "Please don't cry. I can't stand to see you cry."

"I just can't stand the thought of going back to the way it was. I can't stand the thought of being all alone and not being able to even talk to you."

"I don't like it either. I swear to you that if I could be with you, I would. I just can't…they need me to take care of them…I can't let them starve."

"I don't want you to choose me over your family. I just don't know what I'm going to do without you."

"You're gonna be just fine."

"I'm going to have to really play it up to my father about how we had to pretend to be a couple for the interview. I'll have to tell him that I had to beg you to go along with it and I'll have to tell him how humiliating it was for me."

"Madge, I'm so sorry." He apologizes with a kiss to my temple.

"If he happens to bring you in, to talk to you about it at all, keep it simple and go along with my story. I came to you on the train and begged you to go along with it. You finally agreed because you were afraid not too." I tell him, wanting to make sure he has it.

"It'll be fine. I'm not worried about your father. Just about you."

"I need to go take a shower and get ready for breakfast." I tell him.

"I guess I should do the same. Get one last shower in."

I lean forward and kiss his lips before I leave. I tiptoe down the hallway and back into my own room, still wearing Gale's t-shirt. When I lift it over my head, I notice how it smells of him and I make a decision to keep it. I fold it up and slip it into my suitcase beneath my other clothes. If I can"t have him, I at least want something to make me feel close to him.

In the shower, more tears fall as my mind continues to dwell on the fact that my time with Gale is running out. I force myself to halt the crying when I get out of the shower. I can't go home with red, swollen eyes.

After I've gotten dressed and put on a little makeup, I go back down the hall to Gale's room. He's still in the shower so I sit down to wait for him. I wonder if he will notice that I'm keeping his shirt. Maybe I'll tell him. His boots sitting on the floor give me an idea. I quickly grab one of them and hurry to unlace it. Then I take my bracelet of and break the wire that holds it together and remove one of the blue glass beads. I thread it onto his shoelace and then wind the laces back through his boot. Now he'll have something of mine to remind him of me.

When he comes out of the bathroom, he's got pants on but no shirt yet. Suddenly I wonder if I just stole his only t-shirt. "Hey, you know that shirt I slept in last night?"

"Yeah?" He asks as he rubs a towel over his hair.

"Would it be alright if I hang on to it for awhile?" I ask nervously and hopefully.

He flashes me a smile and comes over. "So you wanna keep my old tshirt?"

"It smells like you. I thought maybe it would make me miss you less."

"I love the idea of you having my shirt." He tells me through a kiss, his hands resting on my hips.

"Really?"

"Really. It's kinda hot actually, thinking about you sleeping in my shirt. Kinda like it." He smirks.

"Thanks." I say as I look down trying not to blush.

"Ready for some breakfast?"

We go to the dining car one last time and share one last meal together. I find myself not able to eat very much but Gale manages. After that, the train is nearly home so I tell him I need to be in my own room when the train stops at the station and he in his. It's time for goodbye.

**(Gale POV)**

I walk her all the way to her room and go inside to say goodbye. This may very well be the last kiss I ever get to give her so I have to make it count. As soon as the door shuts behind us, I take hold of her waist and pull her against me, kissing her lips. She knots a fistful of my shirt in her hand and kisses me back. When the kiss breaks, I lean my forehead down against hers and close my eyes again. I don't know how I'm ever going to be okay without her again. I want to tell her that I love her. Want to tell her right now, this very instant but it seems cruel to profess your love for someone when you may never be with them again so I hold back. I think it in my head and feel it in my heart but I don't let the words leave my mouth. I love her but right now I'm not sure I'll ever be able to tell her.

When I leave her room and the door closes leaving me alone in the hallway, I actually find myself choked up and having to fight back tears. It actually hurts right now knowing we're finished. Finished unless we can find a way to be together.

In my room, I pack up my belongings into my small leather satchel and on a whim decide to take all the pears that fill the bowl on my night table. I hadn't eaten any of them and there's just enough for me to take one to each of my family members. They'll enjoy having a treat.

As I go to put on my boots, I notice something on the laces. I hold my boot up closer to my face to inspect it and find a bright blue bead woven through the laces. Madge. It's like the ones on that bracelet she wears. She must have put that here for me. I run my fingertips over it and swallow back the lump forming in my throat. I love her so damn much.

The train lurches to a stop just as I get my boots on and I grab my satchel and head out the door. I want to get off and leave the station as quickly as I can because I can't stand the thought of seeing Madge again right now. I hightail it out of there and head straight for the Seam. Maybe seeing my family will make me miss her less for the moment.

Posy nearly tackles me the minute I walk through our front door. Rory and Vick seem like they missed me too. My mother smiles and hugs me but I can tell something isn't right that she's not telling me.

I pull the pears out of my bag and pass them out. I was right, they love them. I should've thought to smuggle more food off the train and I kick myself for being so wrapped up in Madge that I didn't think about that sooner.

My mother goes outside to work on her laundry and I follow, leaving the kids inside to enjoy their fruit.

"What's the matter?" I ask her not beating around the bush.

"Our tesserae didn't come this month. At first, I thought it was a mistake so I went into town to ask about it but they said no one's arrived. Something about a problem with shipping."

"Did they say when it would get here?"

She shakes her head.

"I'm sure it'll come soon. How low are we? Can we wait a few days?"

"Really low. You'll have to get a decent haul and do some trading today."

"I can do that. I'll go right now and set some snares. See if I can get anything with the bow that I can trade today for."

"Gale?" She calls after me. I turn and she continues. "Why were you and Madge together in the interview? Won't her father be angry?" She asks and it only now occurs to me that the people of 12 who think Madge and I broke up won't understand.

"We had to pretend. For the Capitol. Don't worry, we aren't back together, her father will be fine." I explain, my voice cracking as I say to her that we aren't together.

In the woods I manage to collect a few squirrels with the bow. I'm not as good of a shot as Catnip is but I can still kill them, just not through the eye like she can. I set a couple snares and hope they catch me something to collect later.

At the Hob, I trade a all but one of the squirrels for some oil and grain. When I go by the Everdeen's house, Prim gives me a small cloth of goat's cheese. She has this goat named lady that she manages to get a decent amount of milk from and occasionally she makes cheese out of it. She tells me they're doing okay on food but takes a little bit of the oil and grain.

Back at home, I get cleaned up for the viewing while my mother works her magic in the kitchen. She manages to make a soup with the one squirrel I saved her and the oil and grain lets her make some tesserae crisps. They're kind of like crackers but taste horrible. In the Seam we're all used to them though and they'll be sufficient dinner for my mother and the kids. Seeing as how I've spent the past several days shoveling myself full of free Capitol food, I think I'll skip dinner tonight. They'll need it much more than I would.

At the viewing, I can't help but look over at Madge regardless of how many times I tell myself not to. She's got that look about her again. That pleasing one. She's smiling politely and chatting up people, doing what she does all the time. Our eyes never meet but part of me thinks she knows I watching anyway.

The viewing shows us that the gamemakers are getting restless. It's been too long since there was any action. They talk about how they're going to push the remaining tributes together. My stomach churns. They've created something called lava. Said it used to occur naturally inside mountains that erupted fire. They're starting it at the far edges of the arena and all the ground turns into this fiery water like stuff. The only way to keep safe is too move towards the center of the arena where the cornucopia is. They tells us that one touch of this lava stuff will melt you, skin and bone. It flows, creeping slowly towards all the tributes. As they notice it, they move inward. The announcers further tell us that it'll take at least a day for the lava to make it to the center of the arena. That gives Kantniss one day to try to figure out what she's gonna do when she gets there. She and Peeta haven't even seen it yet so they don't know it's coming for them. Actually, the only person to see it so far is Thresh and he's moving quickly in the exact direction they want him too. Hopefully, he'll make it to the center of the arena and meet up with Cato and the two of them can battle it out before Katniss and Peeta get there. And hopefully Cato wins that battle. I'm worried that Katniss won't be able to kill Thresh since he spared her at the feast. I don't want her to have a moment where she hesitates.

After the viewing ends leaving us all on edge wondering who will run into who first, I glance back at Madge once more. She happens to look my way too and I wish she hadn't. It only makes it hurt that much more as I turn and walk back to the Seam alone.


	22. Chapter 22

**Chapter 22**

**(Madge POV)**

I expected to find an angry father waiting for me but I didn't. In fact I didn't find anything except a totally empty house. I finally locate Glennis down in the laundry room.

"Hi Glennis, have you seen my father?"

"He's at his office. Been there pretty much round the clock." She says as she takes my laundry from me.

"Something going on?" I ask trying to sound casual even though I'm hearing a replay of Haymitch's voice in my head.

"I wouldn't know if there were." She says as she sorts out my laundry. "Is this yours?" She asks as she holds up Gale's tshirt.

"Oh, yes, but don't wash it! I'll take it." I say as I grab it quickly.

"Best not let your father see that." She warns as she continues doing laundry.

I don't answer her but I know she knows who it belongs too. And she knows I'm not supposed to see him. I don't think she'll say anything though. She sees and hears quite a bit but she's not exactly one to gossip or repeat things.

I take Gale's shirt back up to my room, glad it didn't get washed. That would've ruined the smell of it. Would've ruined the best part of it. The Gale part. I hide it under one of my bed pillows and then head out to go search Haymitch's house.

Victor's Village is parallel to my house so it doesn't take me long to walk there. It's mostly a huge lot of empty houses. They're meant for Victors to live in but our district only has one Victor, Haymitch.

I go up to his front steps and turn the doorknob. It isn't locked. Guess not many people would want to break into Haymitch's house. Most people steer clear of him. He's made quite a reputation for being an unmanageable town drunk.

I gag as soon as I walk through the door and literally almost puke right there in his foyer. It reeks in here. Like garbage and waste. How can he possibly want to live like this? I cover my mouth and step forward, wading through trash and bottles. I find the light switch and flip it on. Lighting only seems to make matters worse as to how the living situation appears. It looks like he's never thrown out his trash once. The floor, the furniture, every square inch of this place is covered in trash and half eaten food and dirty dishes. God, no wonder he doesn't lock the front door. No one in their right mind would step in this place.

The one thing I don't see is a plant of any kind. Not in the living room. Not in the kitchen or dining room. No where. I look at the staircase and sigh. I'm going to have go look upstairs.

I find the upper half of Haymitch's house equally disgusting as the lower portion. His bathroom smells like mildew has taken over and the floors are littered with dirty clothes and towels. The bedrooms are a mess as well but in addition to dirty clothes and towels, they also contain empty bottles and trash. And an odor remarkably similar to vomit.

Again, I don't find any plants. Not real ones. Not silk ones. Not a one anywhere to be found. Perhaps I misunderstood what he'd said? Maybe I read more into it than I should have? I sigh and carefully go back downstairs and out of the house. I'll have to go to the riverbed tonight and tell Gale that I couldn't find anything and that I must have misunderstood.

I go home and take a shower to wash away the filthy smell that I swear is clinging to me after my time in Haymitch's house. I put on a new dress and fix my hair again for the viewing. It's going to be hard to be there and see Gale and not be able to talk to him. I've already told myself that I won't let myself stare. I won't risk meeting his gaze and feeling that pang in my heart. I'll just have to pretend that it's like it used to be, before we knew each other. Before I was so infatuated with him.

I do well most of the viewing, not once locking eyes with Gale until the very end as he's leaving. And just as I'd predicted, hurt pangs at my heart as I watch him walk right passed me and off towards the Seam.

At home, I still expect to find my father ready to speak to me about Gale and our interview but instead I find another empty house and a silver domed tray at my place on the table. Huh. Wonder what's going on that has him still working at his office right now? Come to think of it, I don't know that I saw him at the viewing. He had to have been there though, it's mandatory. But how did I not notice him?

I leave my dinner untouched and decide to go over to his office. I find a pair of Peacekeepers in the hallway.

"Is my father still in his office?" I ask with a polite nod of a greeting.

"Yes mam." One of them tells me and so I continue on my way up to the second floor where his office is.

His office door is slightly ajar so I push it open and poke my head inside. He's at his desk with a huge stack of books and papers all around him. A large number of papers have been crumpled and litter the floor around his feet.

"I don't want to interrupt, just wanted to let you know I was back from my trip." I say when he doesn't even look up upon my interest.

"Hello, yes, I knew you were due back this afternoon. How was your trip?"

Okay, showtime. I work up some tears and launch into a full fit. "It was humiliating! Did you watch the interview? Didn't you see what I had to do? I had to beg and plead for Gale Hawthorne to pretend we were still a couple because of the fuss all the Capitol people had about our celebratory kiss at that viewing. I've never felt so low in my life."

"You certainly didn't look miserable up there." He comments. It feels like he's challenging me. Like he might not believe it quite yet. I need to sell it better.

"Of course I didn't look like it. Haven't I spent 16 years learning how to please the Capitol, regardless of what I really felt?" I snap at him. "Do you know how small it made me feel to have to convince Gale that it was best to go along with everything rather than explain we'd broken up after just a few dates? It was as if he'd never dealt with the Capitol before. Like he didn't know what it would be like to disappoint them. And then he gets up there and barely even talks in the interview. I was terrified that they'd see right through our little charade. Honestly, I don't know why he even bothered going." I fume, hoping he'll believe it this time.

"Well the boy certainly wasn't raised with class." He muses. "I'm a little surprised you ever saw anything in him. A waste of your time."

"Agreed. And if you could see to it that I not have to do any more interviews anytime soon, I'd appreciate it." I say as I inwardly cringe at the bashing of Gale's character that I'm having to do.

"Madge, you know I have no control over interview requests from the Capitol. If they wish to speak with you, then speak with you, they will." He instructs.

"Are you coming home soon? I can walk with you." I offer but really I want to see if he plans on being home so I can see if I have time to get to the riverbed to meet Gale.

"I'll be here for awhile longer, best you go on without me." He says turning his attention back to this work.

I tell him goodbye and then leave his office, trying to make sure I don't run even though that's all my feet want to do right now. I slip quietly through the dark and down to the Seam. I'm not sure if Gale will be at the riverbed but I hope so. He did say he would be there every night but for how long and when, I'm not certain.

"Gale?" I call out as soon as I reach the riverbed floor.

"Over here." I hear his voice call out to me through the darkness. I follow it until I can make out his shadowy frame in the moonlight.

I feel his hands grab hold of me and pull me to him and then his lips crash down on mine. The kiss feels like a breath of air that I've been trying to take but unable to find. I hadn't realized how badly I needed it.

"Oh my gosh, I needed that." I breathe out when he lets our lips part.

"Me too." He agrees. He pulls me into his lap and holds me tightly against him.

"I can't stay very long."

"I'll take what I can get. Did you find out something I need to know or just miss me?"

"Oh I missed you plenty." I say as I kiss him briefly. "But I wanted to let you know that the clue from Haymitch was a dead end. I went over to his house and there aren't any plants at all."

"None?"

"Not a one. He must have just been making chit chat conversation, not giving me a clue."

"Hmmm. Are you sure you didn't miss anything?"

"Well, the place was a total disaster but I didn't see anything."

"I think we should check again. Let me help you look."

"I'll go back and look again tomorrow before school but you can't be there. Someone will see you going into the village."

"Something happened here too. No tesserae delivery."

"What? When was it due? Did everyone miss a delivery?"

"Due 2 days ago. My mother said nobody got theirs. Something about a shipment problem."

"Have deliveries ever been late before?" I ask.

"No. Not once ever that I can remember."

"Well, my father is working late so it is possible he's trying to resolve a shipping error. I'll see if I can find out anything else about it, maybe look at a few papers in my father's home office or something."

"Just be careful, don't get caught snooping around."

"I'll be fine. But I am sorry to tell you I have to go home now. Don't want to have to explain where I've been if my father beats me back to the house."

"One more thing, did he buy into your whole thing about having to force me to pretend to be your boyfriend for the interview?"

"Yes. It took some hard selling but I won him over. You'll be here tomorrow if I need to find you?"

"Every night for whatever time I can spare. I promise."

I press my hands against each of his cheeks and kiss him once more before I go.

**(Gale POV)**

I'm just about to leave when she comes into the riverbed. I'm glad I didn't miss her. I don't even say hi to her before I grab her and pull her into a kiss. I've been missing her so much today and all my soul needs right now is a few kisses from her. I'm aching for it. And from the way she falls into the kiss herself, I think she needed my kiss as much as I did hers.

I don't like what she said about not finding any plants at Haymitch's house and I know that I won't be able to let it go as a misunderstood clue. Nope. I need to get in that house and see for myself. It doesn't help though that she's paranoid about me being seen going into the Victor's Village. She said she was going back tomorrow before school and I intend to be in that house waiting for her.

If I get up early enough, and get into the woods to check my snares, I can head to the Victor's Village through the fence. I figure if I come in through the back, I can sneak into the house before anyone sees me. I know she won't like me doing it and I know it's a huge risk to go breaking and entering into a Victor's house but I have to do it. Haymitch wants us to find something. Something that's obviously too secret to mention outright.

I head home for some family time and go to sleep feeling pretty confident that when I get in that house tomorrow, I'll find whatever it is that we're looking for. When I wake the next morning, I hurry out to the woods, clearing and resetting my snares faster than I probably ever have before. I make my way through the woods alongside the fence line until I'm at the part of town where Victor's Village lies. I've never crossed through the fence before in town but I can do it. I crouch low against the fence, peering into town to make sure that the coast is clear and no peacekeepers are on patrol. It looks to be safe so I carefully climb through the fence into the back of the village. This place is spooky. Bunches of empty houses all sitting here with no people living in them. No one other than Haymitch lives here since he's our only Victor. Of course if Catnip wins, she gets to pick one of these houses too.

At Haymitch's house I climb up his back porch steps and give the screen door a tug. Locked. I try the window on my right and find it slides right open. I quickly hoist myself through and close it behind me. The smell of the house hits me as soon as my feet hit the floor. I cover my mouth and nose with my shirt and look at the room around me. It's filthy and trashed beyond belief. I think I'm in the dining room but you'd never know it for certain.

God, no wonder she couldn't find any plants. If there were any, they're probably buried under all this shit. The sun isn't fully up yet and I don't want to flip the lights on so it's dim and hard to see but I can see enough to know that this is going to take hours.

I hear the front door open and I know it's Madge but then for a split second, I panic thinking perhaps a Peacekeeper did see me breaking in and they're coming to arrest me. I freeze in my tracks. I can't hide, can't even move without making noise because of all this trash I'm standing in. Thankfully, my panic is fleeting because I hear gagging come from the front hall and it's a girl's voice. Madge's voice.

"Madge?" I call out so she won't freak when she hears me step.

"Gale?" She calls back.

I wade through the hallway of trash towards her. I lean over and kiss her forehead lightly.

"What are you doing here? I told you it wasn't safe for you to come in here!"

"I slipped in through the back, from the woods. No one saw me. I have to help you look for that plant." I tell her.

"Are you sure?" She asks, worry creasing her forehead.

"I'm positive. Now, you didn't tell me what a pig sty this place was. We're gonna have to clean up. Maybe what we're looking for is buried under this mess."

"Gale, I don't have time to clean before school and why would a plant be under this trash? Plants go on end tables and bookshelves."

"And trash goes in trash cans but clearly your Godfather doesn't play by the rules. Look, I know it isn't an appealing thing to have to do but I really think we need to clean up and see what's here. I still firmly believe it was a clue."

She sighs. "Fine. Where should we start?"

"Living room?" I suggest and she turns to lead the way.

"So did you know he was such a slob?" I ask as I kick cans and bottles out of my path.

"No idea. I didn't visit him much obviously. I'm going to check the kitchen and see if he owns any trash bags." She says sounding less than enthused.

"Cheer up gloomy girl. This is all for good reason. And who knows, maybe the very first room we clean will reveal whatever it is we're searching for." I tell her trying to make this daunting task seem less massive.

"We only have about half an hour and then we have to go to school." She tells me as she hands me a trash can.

"He owns a trash can and it's empty?" I ask as I laugh to myself at the irony of it.

She rolls her eyes and begins filling her trash bag with empty bottles. I can't help but want to laugh at her as she tries to hold back her gag reflex. The smell is awful and the trash is disgusting and she's just too darn pretty for all of this.

"Hey, how about this. You go ahead on to school and I'll stay here, clean up and see what I can find. This is more of an all day job anyhow."

She drops her bag on the floor and looks over at me. "I can't let you stay here all day and clean this place."

"Why not?"

"Because that wouldn't be fair. And you'll miss school."

"A, I could care less about missing a day of school. B, since when did being fair count for anything? So you go on ahead and I'll catch up with you later. I've got this and I'm confident I can find the answer to our clue."

"Meet up with you after school? You'll still be here?"

I put down my trash can and wrap my arms around her waist. "I'm pretty sure I'll be here until the viewing."

"I'm going to owe you for this one." She says as she smiles up at me, grateful to not have to help dig through garbage all day.

"You can make it up to me later." I flirt as I kiss her goodbye.

When she's gone, I take a deep breath and begin to tackle the monstrosity of this disheveled place. As I pick up trash, my mind wanders over Madge and I and how since we got back, we've been together as if we were really together. I still keep kissing her every chance I get and I haven't even looked at another girl. Haven't been to any wild parties. All I've done is wish I was with her. And as far as I know, she isn't out seeing anyone else either. It's really like we became a secret couple or something and I'm not sure how I feel about that. Or how she feels about that. I don't think I like it. If I'm going to be with her, I want it to be for real. I want it to count.


	23. Chapter 23

**Chapter 24**

**(Gale POV)**

It takes a good hour to get the crap cleaned up in the living room. The rug is stained and filthy but overall, the room looks a lot better. Not that the point of all this cleaning is to make Haymitch's house presentable. No, that's not it at all. The point is to find a plant and then figure out what's significant about it or around it. And after an hour in this room, I can officially say there aren't any plants in here.

I drag my now full trash can and extra full bag of trash to the back door. Guess I'll hit this kitchen next I think as I look around. Geez, this room is a straight up nightmare. No, this house is a straight up nightmare of a mess. Mold covered dishes fill the sink and spill over onto the countertops. Rotten food sits on plates and in pots on the stove. Mouse droppings show where critters have taken advantage of the food that was left out. Cabinets and drawers are half open. I let out a huge sigh and get to work, starting with trash. I figure I won't do the dishes since I doubt a plant is hidden in the sink. I open all the cabinets and check to make sure there isn't anything in there even though I doubt they would be. They aren't. It occurs to me as I finish up in the kitchen that if ever there were a plant in this place, it wouldn't be alive anymore. Perhaps I should be looking for more of a pot of soil than an actual plant.

By the time the morning is over, I've cleaned all of downstairs and there are 9 bags of trash piled up by the back door. Still no freaking plants or flower pots though. I find an unopened can of beans in one of the cabinets and open it up. I figure if I'm gonna clean this whole damn house, I've earned the right to a meal. As I sit, spooning the cold beans into my mouth, I let my mind wander to thoughts of Madge again. I never intended to have a secret relationship with her but it's so obvious that's where we're heading if we aren't there already. I'm not sure what to do about it though. I don't want it to be like that with us. Not at all. I mean, I love knowing that when we manage to see each other privately, I can kiss her and hold her but what's all that matter if I can't love her fully and publicly. It's not fair to either of us to continue like we are if there's no solution in sight that would allow us to be together for real. I'm going to have to talk to her about it. I don't want to but I don't' think I have any choice.

I'm upstairs working on the bedroom, which could very well be the worst room of all when I hear the door open downstairs and Madge's sweet voice call out to me.

"Up here." I yell down to her.

"It looks like a totally different house downstairs" She tells me as she comes into the bedroom, schoolbooks in hand.

"Who knew I had such a knack for cleaning houses, right?" I say as lean down to kiss her. As soon as the kiss is finished, I realize that for all the thinking I did today, I just did the total opposite of what I'd decided was best for us. It just felt so natural to kiss her that I just up and did it.

"Any luck?" She asks looking hopeful.

"Nope. But it did occur to me that if there ever was a plant in this hell hole, it'd be long dead by now and so in addition to plants, I've been looking for flower pots too."

"You know, you're probably right. What if it's not an actual plant but something plant related, like a watering can or something. Sit, take a break for a bit." She says as she pulls me to sit down on a chair and then places herself in my lap.

My heart and mind are in complete and total conflict right now. I want to savor every split second of this moment and just have fun being with her but I know we're just pretending and that this moment will be just as fleeting as the next time we're together.

"Madge, we need to talk and I don't want to at all but I really think we should." I tell her as I swallow down the lump already building in my throat.

"I don't think I like the sound of that." She says quietly and I feel her stiffen.

"I think we're making a mistake with us."

"What do you mean?"

"Somehow, without really meaning too, we seem to have developed into a sort of secret relationship. Every time we manage time alone together, we keep doing this. We act like a couple."

"Is that a bad thing?" She asks, her voice nervous.

"It's an unfair thing. I think we need to stop."

She moves from my lap and I see her try to discreetly wipe her tears. Man, I hate seeing her cry more than anything. "Madge, I'm so sorry. I just…I love you far too much to be your secret boyfriend." I confess without holding back.

"You what?" Her head turning towards me and eyes wide and teary.

"I love you. And because I love you, I can't keep pretending with you."

"You what?" She says again, this time almost in whisper.

I get up and go over to her. I take her face in my hands and kiss her once and lightly on the lips. My heart feels like it's breaking all over again. "We've gotta just be friends. We can't keep doing this."

"I…I have to go." She says as she backs away from me, tears streaming down her face and stumbling as she goes.

"Madge, wait." I call after her but she doesn't stop and I don't go after her. My heart hurts so badly. I had to do it. I had to stop this whole charade. For both of us to not end up getting hurt, we had to put an end to it. Funny thing is, this hurts too. I just told her that I loved her and I did it in all the wrong way. I did it at the same time I was telling her that I couldn't keep kissing her. And to top it all off, she certainly hadn't said it back.

I run my hands over my face and try to push everything out of my mind except the task at hand. Which is to find this godforsaken plant and solve this clue already. I glance at the clock and see that I have about an hour until I have to be at the viewing. I stop and think about what Madge said earlier. That maybe it was something plant related and not a real plant. Think Gale, think.

Plants grow in pots. They need sunlight and water. I haven't seen any pots. And there isn't a drop of sunlight filtering through these dusty window panes. And that's when it hits me. The plant isn't inside. It's outside. It's an outside frigging plant! We've been looking in all the wrong spots!

I dart downstairs and peer out each of the windows. There are perfectly trimmed rose bushes along the side of the house and some in the back too. For someone who clearly doesn't give much thought to taking care of things, those rose bushes sure do look awfully well tended too. That's gotta be a sign. Whatever we're looking for, it must be buried with those bushes. But how in the hell am I supposed to dig up his rose bushes without being busted by a peacekeeper? I'm gonna have to wait for dark.

I let myself out onto the back porch and after checking that the coast is clear, make a dash towards the woods. I'll come back tonight, after it's dark. And I'll be digging up each one of those bushes until I find whatever Haymitch buried there.

**(Madge POV)**

I swear my ears are playing tricks on me and there's no way I heard him correctly. He told me he was in love with me. Even repeated it for me. But it was mixed amongst him telling me that our little stolen moments need to stop. That he feels like we're being unfair to ourselves. I'm not even sure what I feel right now. Elation over the fact that he loves me or heartbreak over the fact that what little piece of us I had left to hang onto is completely gone now. All I could do was get out of that room as fast as I could. Went straight home and shut myself up in my bedroom.

And I don't even have time to sit here and figure out what exactly I think about it because it's time for the viewing. I get up from my bedroom floor and wipe a few tears from my cheeks. I'll have to talk to Gale later. Maybe in the riverbed tonight or tomorrow. I need to have a conversation about what he just told me-all of it, the good and the bad. But not until I let it sink in a little more.

At the viewing, I see Gale from afar but our eyes don't meet. Neither of us able to handle it probably. I try to instead focus my attention on the viewing screen. I can tell the games are nearly over almost immediately. The lava did the trick of pushing Cato, Thresh, Katniss and Peeta all to the center at the cornucopia. Luckily for Katniss and Peeta, Thresh got there first. Cato was ready for him and the two quickly fell into battle, physically fighting until Cato won out. Katniss and Peeta arrived with lava nipping at their heels. They manage to climb on top of the cornucopia just seconds before the lava swallows up the last few inches of ground. As soon as they get to the top two things happen. The fiery lava hardens to rock and they realize Cato is also marooned on the cornucopia. Katniss is lightening fast with her bow and before I can blink she's fired a shot. It makes contact, hitting him right in the neck. Blood spurts from the wound and his hand grabs at the lodged arrow. I'm breathless on the edge of my seat. This is it. If he dies, we win. District 12 could do it! We could have both Katniss and Peeta home soon!

Cato pulls the arrow out with both hands, more spurts of blood come from the neck wound. I don't know if it's serious enough to make him bleed to death but it certainly doesn't look good. His only weapon fell to the hardened lava rocks below as soon as the arrow struck him. He's weaponless and injured. This is Katniss's chance to finish him off. She's only got one arrow left though and it's already nocked in her bow, ready to fire. She and Cato stare each other down with an intensity that would take your breath away and put fear right in the pit of your stomach. They both want, no need, this win, neither willing to lose. Peeta stands beside Katniss his eyes locked on Cato. The whole district is dead silent as we watch it play out before us.

Cato dares to be the one to make a first move and he lunges for Katniss, ready to make a physical battle out of it. She's a trained hunter though and quick to shoot. The arrow hits right in the chest this time, directly into his heart. He falls immediately and coughs up blood. Within a minute his cannon has sounded. They did it. They outlasted every single tribute. They won!

Roaring cheers flood the viewing area as we all realize the victory before us. I'm on my feet cheering right along with them when suddenly the gamemakers voice booms over a loudspeaker in the arena.

"Attention tributes, we regret to inform you that it has come to our attention that no two tributes can be allowed a co-victory. The games must proceed until only one tribute remains. Best of luck and may the odds be ever in your favor."

Gasps ring out all around me and I drop to my seat. The tricked us. They made everyone believe that they'd altered the rules, that both tributes could come home. But they lied. They were lying to us the whole time. I should have seen this coming. Should have known this is what they would do. Of course they wouldn't let two people win and keep their lives. That would be too humane. Too kind off the Capitol.

I watch as Peeta and Katniss look at each other, a single tear sliding down Katniss's cheek. They're going to have to fight, to try and kill one another. They sit facing one another for nearly an hour. Totally silent. Neither one making a threating move towards the other. If they don't do something soon, the gamemakers will intervene. Something like the lava or worse will happen. Something to force only one of them to win. I look over to Gale and he turns back and we share a worried look. He must be thinking the same thing I am.

Turning my eyes back to the screen, I wince as Katniss pulls something from her pocket and holds it out between herself and Peeta. The camera zooms in showing us a full handful of nightlock berries. The very ones that killed the girl from 5. What is doing?

"I won't do it. I won't take your life." She tells him in near whisper.

"And I can't take yours." Peeta chokes out.

"And I won't let them take it for me. I won't let them decide who's worthy of life outside this arena." She tells him. Her voice strong and convicted. She pours half the berries into his palm. "We do it together. Me and you. If we can't both win, then we won't give them a winner at all." She tells him. He nods. They kiss once.

"On three." He says, tears rolling down his face.

My ears are ringing. I can't breathe at all. What are they doing? Why? Why would they do this? Don't! I shout at them in my head to stop.

"One. Two. Three." They count in unison. And then they do it. They lift those death inducing berries right to their mouths and eat them.

I gasp aloud, everything spinning around me. Did that happen? Did they just kill themselves as a final rebellious act against the games? I watch as they both collapse to their deaths. Dual cannons sounding. I'm completely unaware of what's happening around me. I can't think. I can't do anything.

The screen flickers off and I can't move. She died. My friend just died. At her own hand. Peeta too. No victor this year. No one coming home. I feel a hand grab my arm and pull me to my feet. I look up. My father.

"Go home." He orders. His voice strong and commanding. "Go. Now!" He says again and he shoves me a little towards our house. He turns and goes towards the justice building. I look around for Gale but can't find him in the chaos of the crowd. I move towards my house, mechanically managing to put one foot in front of the other until I'm inside my house and that's as far as I can make it before falling to the ground and into a fit of tears.

I don't know how long I lay there consumed with grief, sobbing against the marble floors. No one comes to comfort me. No one comes to check on me. I'm completely alone. At some point I must cry myself into exhaustion and fall asleep right there in the foyer because I'm woken suddenly by a trembling sensation. The whole house feels like it's shaking. I manage to get to my feet and yank the front door open. It's pitch black out. I must have been out for hours. I stumble out the door and down the front walk. I can hear something but I don't know what it is. A roaring sound. Like a motor or something. And it's getting louder. I frantically look around, trying to make sense of what's going on, looking for a peacekeeper, for anyone. There's no peacekeeper in sight. I see other people in town opening their doors and coming out to try and see what's happening. Chaos seems to be building and I'm sure that whatever's happening, it's not good. I need to find my father. Find out what's going on. By the time I've made the short distance to the streets of town, the first bomb hits with a deafening thud of explosion. I'm knocked from my feet and my head hits against the ground.


	24. Chapter 24

**Chapter 24**

**(Gale POV)**

NO. No way. She'd never do that. She wouldn't. She couldn't. She'd never leave Prim behind. It's a trick. It has to be a trick by the Capitol. But it isn't. My heart thuds in my ears and I have to get out of here. I can't be here. I can't watch this. My whole head is spinning as the canon sounds and the viewing screens flicker off. I stand. Look at my mother. She's consoling Prim. Mrs. Everdeen stares off blankly. I'm going to be sick. I have to get out of here. Out of the district. I move, somehow, to the fence passed the meadow and through the fence, into the woods. I run. Through the trees, branches snapping at my arms and legs as I push through them. I keep going until my feet can't go any further and my lungs ache from not being able to breathe. I fall to the ground in a heap and sob into my hands.

I cry until I'm numb. Madge. I need Madge. She'll be hurting just like I am. She'll be feeling the same things as I am. The same pain. I have to see her. I don't care what I said to her earlier, I need her. Right now she's the only thing that might keep me from completely losing my mind. I have to go back and see here.

I'm maybe a half mile from the fence when I hear the planes coming. My feet move faster. Planes aren't good. Something's happening. And then the bombs drop. One by one they fall, hitting the district with explosions of fire, making the ground shake beneath my feet. I freeze for a second as I try to figure out what to do. Do I go after Madge or after my family? Is there time for either? My family. I have to go save my family. If the district is being destroyed, maybe the Undersee's were saved. Maybe they pulled out important people before the bombing. Maybe. Hopefully. God please let her be okay, I pray inside my head as I race towards the Seam, still on the outside of the fence. By the time I reach the Seam, there are people flooding into the woods, running scared. It's chaos and hysteria. My eyes search the crowds as I push through them. Finally, as I near the fence, I see my family. My mother holding tight to Vick's hand and Posy crying in Rory's arms. Prim right behind see me too.

"Gale! What do we do?" My mother asks, her voice sounding more terrified than it ever has before.

I stop in front of them and try to catch a breath. "Keep going into the woods. Go as far as possible."

"Mrs. Everdeen?" I ask. I don't see her.

My mother shakes her head and closes her eyes for a second. She didn't make it out. Or wouldn't come. I'm not sure which. I need to go back and check for Madge. I have to be sure she got out, either through the fence or through some sort of Capitol evacuation for the Mayor's family.

"Ma, I've gotta go back. I have to find her." I tell my mother, knowing she'll understand.

"No Gale, don't. It's too late. Too dangerous."

I give her an apologetic look. I'm going anyway. Won't be able to live with myself if I don't. "I'm sorry. Go north, as far as you can. I'll find you, I promise." I yell to her as I race back towards town, along the inside of the fence. The bombs are still dropping and all of 12 looks like a giant ball of fire, everything burning.

I get to town and see that it's completely a blaze and there's no way I can get into it and over to the Mayor's house. There's too much smoke in the sky for me to see if the house is even still there. I follow alongside the fence, hoping that I can get around the curve of the town to where her house sits. When I come upon Victor's Village, I see through smoke that it's still standing. This is my best way in. I dive through the fence and run through the backside of the village, heading towards her house. My lungs ache and I'm choking on all the smoke. My eyes burn and water from the smoke but I keep going.

Right as I exit the village, I see her house. Or what's left of it. It's completely burning. I run towards it but the heat of the fires burning keeps me from being able to get over to it. I can't go much passed the edge of the village.

"Madge!" I scream out as loud as I can. The fires are loud and I don't think she'd be able to hear me but my hope makes me try. "MADGE!" I scream again and again.

I have to get back into the woods. She isn't here. I can only hope she was evacuated before the bombs were dropped. Before all of 12 was destroyed. I go back into the woods through the fence behind the village. I collapse once I'm in the cover of the woods. My whole body aches. My lungs and eyesburn. My mind fights to ignore the pain in my heart. I lost Catnip today. Our district was destroyed. I have no idea if Madge is alive or not.

I'm leaning against a tree trunk, eyes closed. Catching my breath. Trying to hold it together. And then I hear it. Footsteps. Instantly I'm on my feet. I have no idea who it could be. Peacekeepers searching the woods for those of us who managed to escape? I listen. It's a single set of steps. One person. I can take on one person if I have to. If they aren't armed. I ready myself and just as the footsteps near me, I jump out from behind the tree, fists ready.

She shrieks and covers her face, cowering.

"Madge?" I breathe out in a raspy whisper. It's her? She's here? She's alive?

"Gale? GALE!" She cries out and launches herself into my arms. I smother her face with kisses and hug her tighter than I ever have before.

"I thought you were dead! I hoped you weren't but I worried you were! Oh my God, Madge, I thought I'd lost you! How'd you get out?" I frantically rattle off.

Tears stream down her soot stained face. "I didn't know what to do or where to go. The planes. They went that way, towards the Seam so I went this way, through the village into the woods. But then I didn't know what to do and now…now you're here." She sobs into my chest. "They destroyed it. Everything is gone."

"I know." I tell her as I hold her tightly. "Come on, we need to get away from here. Away from the district."

"Where do we go? Where's your family?"

"I told them to go north. We'll find them, they won't have moved very fast, not with the kids."

"I can't go very fast either." She tells me as she points down at her feet. She's barefoot. Her feet filthy and cut from the time she's already been out here.

"What happened to your shoes?"

"I think they got lost when I was knocked down by the first bomb. I was so scared I just ran. I didn't even notice they were gone until I was already in the woods."

"I can't believe you made it out of there. You were so smart to head for the woods. I'm so proud of you." I tell her as I kiss her again.

I stare down at her feet and decide that she'll be best off if I can carry her. Her feet will be all ripped to hell if I try to make her walk fast in the woods. "I'm gonna carry you so your feet don't get messed up. It'll be faster that way I think."

"Gale, what are we going to do? We can't survive out in the woods. We can't stay in the district, they'll find us." Her chin quivering.

She's right. We aren't prepared to live out in the woods. We didn't plan ahead because who could've seen this coming. And then it hits me. Haymitch. He was prepared. He was ready for whatever was coming. And Victor's Village is still standing.

"Haymitch's house is still there. We need to go and get whatever supplies we can carry and I think I know where we can look one last time for that plant clue." I tell her.

She nods and we head back towards the house where just hours earlier we'd ended on a bad note. We walk in silence. The only sound between us coming from her occasional sniffle. When we get to the house I initially go inside with her.

"We'll need food. There isn't much in here but see what you can find and throw it in a bag. Grab matches if you see any. If you find anything weapon-like, grab that too."

"Where are you going?" She asks.

"Gotta dig up some rose bushes outside. I think we were supposed to be looking for an outside plant this whole time." I tell her as I head out the back door.

I grab a shovel off the back porch and dig like crazy. I still don't know what it is I'm supposed to be looking for near these plants but all I can hope is that I'll know it when I see it. As I dig, I try really hard not to look too much towards town. It's still burning and I don't want to have to think about all the people who didn't make it out in time.

I'm on my third rose bush when I feel the shovel hit something hard. I tap it again and confirm something's buried here. I dig around the edges of it and then reach, needing all my strength to yank it out. It's a black metal box. And it's locked. We'll have to break it open.

I drop the shovel and go back inside. I drop the box on the kitchen table with a thud. Madge comes into the room, large suitcase in hand.

"You found something?"

"Yeah, it's locked though. Gotta break it open." I tell her as I start yanking drawers open looking for something to use as a tool. I find a meat cleaver and decide it will have to do the trick. I smash it down on the lock with all my might. It takes a few whacks but finally breaks free.

When we open the lid, inside we find an envelope with a map. It's old and tattered but it's still legible. And it tells us how to get to District 13.

"Why would he want us to find this? 13 doesn't even exist anymore."

"It must mean something. He buried it so no one would see it and he gave us a clue to find it." I say as she stares down at the old map.

"Gale, what if it's still there." She whispers.

"Only one way to find out." I say as I fold up the map and puts it in my pocket. "What's in the suitcase?"

She bends down and opens it for me to see. She explains her finds. "There were only a few cans of beans as far as food went so I grabbed those. I didn't find matches but I did find a fancy gold lighter. I found knives under the pillows and in the nightstand in Haymitch's bedroom. Three blankets. A bottle of liquor, which I figure could work as fuel. And a bottle of Capitol strength pain relievers."

"Shoes. We need to find you some shoes. I know they'll be too big but you'll need something. Heavy duty socks at the very least." I tells her as I dart up the stairs to the bedroom. In the large closet, I find lots of shoes. I grab a sturdy looking pair and then rummages through the pile of clothes to find socks. I luck out with a thick wool pair. At least they'll give her feet a little bit of protection. On my way out, I grab a long sleeved dress shirt for her too. Her flimsy dress won't do a thing to keep her warm out there.

I run by the bathroom and yank down the shower curtain. If it rains, we can use this as a tarp for shelter. I grab a bar of soap too. I have no idea how long it will take us to get to 13 and then we also don't know what we'll find when we get there.

I hand Madge the socks and then the shoes. I pick her up and set her on the counter to try and make the shoes fit as best they can. They're huge of course. But they'll have to do. I wrap the laces as tight around as I can but they still fall off. She'll have to make do with just the socks. I throw the shoes into the suitcase too though. Maybe she can trade them with someone who has smaller feet than Haymitch but bigger feet than her. Rory maybe. I don't know.

I pick up the suitcase. "You ready?"

She nods and swallows. I can't imagine how terrified she must be right now. Hell, I'm scared so I know she must be downright petrified. We can't stay here though. They'll likely send someone through to sweep the district, make sure no one managed to survive. We really need to get out of here. I take a drink straight from the kitchen faucet and gesture for her to do the same. She does. Suitcase in one hand and her hand in my other, we head out, not looking back. We have no idea where exactly we're heading but we're alive and we're together.


	25. Chapter 25

**Chapter 25**

**(Madge POV)**

We don't speak at all as we make our way through the woods in search of Gale's family. I don't think either of us is feeling very chatty. I'm not sure we're feeling anything other than fear, honestly. Adrenaline and fear. At least that's what I think I can feel right now. I imagine any other emotions I should be feeling will find me once the rush of escaping wears off. Once we find his family and whatever is waiting for us in 13.

I'd lost my shoes in the blast that knocked me down and the best replacement we could find in Haymitch's house were some thick wool socks. It's better than being barefoot but it's still not shoes. Twigs and rocks dig at the soles of my feet. I feel it but not the pain. I don't feel any pain at all.

It's dark and I'm glad I'm with Gale. The woods are terrifying. Sounds of things around me make me jump every so often. He holds tight to my hand though. Tells me what the sounds are if he recognizes them. An owl hooting. A squirrel scurrying from tree to tree. Branches blowing against one another in the wind.

It feels like hours have passed before we finally catch up to his family. We find them and Prim resting against some trees. Small clusters of other people aren't far, resting as well. Aside from a few quiet sobs, it's silent. No one talking. I don't see any town people. It's dark though and I can't see that well in just the moonlight.

Gale's siblings rush up to him and throw their arms around him as soon as they spot him. His mother's face relaxes a little, like she's relieved he made it back to her. I don't ask about but from the look on Prim's face, I'd say she didn't make it out.

"Ma, we were able to get a few things from Haymitch's house. We can camp here tonight and then tomorrow figure out what's next." Gale tells his mother as he pulls the blankets from the suitcase.

"There wasn't time to grab a single thing." She mutters as she takes the blankets.

"It's alright. We're safe tonight and we'll figure it all out in the morning. Trust me." He tells her.

She, Prim and Posy take one blanket and cover themselves as they huddle together. Gale hands Vick a blanket for he and Rory to share too.

"Hey Rory, can I see your boots?"

"My boots?" He asks as he begins untying them.

"Yeah, I wanna see if these will fit you. They'll be a little big but see, Madge lost here's in the bombing. We grabbed these but they're so big on her. Thought your's may fit her better and that these may fit you better." He explains.

Gale hands me a boot and I slip it on. It's still big but not as big as Haymitch's was. And because it's a boot, I can tighten it around the ankles to keep them on better. Rory slips on Haymitch's shoes.

"They're big but they'll do. I was kinda outgrowing those boots anyhow." He says.

"Thank you." I tell him.

After Rory and Vick are all tucked in under a tree with their blanket, Gale and I take the last one and settle in just a short distance away from them. He puts the suitcase under his feet. I lean against him, my head resting against his chest.

"You warm enough? I grabbed a shirt before we left if you want it." He tells me.

"I'm okay."

We're both quiet for a long while but I can tell that neither of us is sleeping.

"Gale? What do you think we should do in the morning? Should we tell everyone about our map?" I whisper.

"Don't know. I'm not sure how everyone will be feeling. I don't even know how many people there are camped out around here. Looks like lots of Seam folks. I'll have to feel it all out in the morning. See what we're dealing with. I don't wanna create any kind of panic or anything."

"We should tell your mother though."

"We will. Not the kids though."

"Gale? I'm really scared." I confess as I feel tears slide down my cheeks.

"I know. I won't let anything happen to you though, I promise." He says and he kisses the top of my head.

I hold onto him as my silent tears fall. Eventually, I must give way to sleep because the next time I open my eyes, the sky is orange and the day is waking up around me.

"Did you sleep at all?" I ask Gale as I rise up and notice he too is awake.

He shakes his head. "We should get going soon. If the Capitol sends searchers out to make sure no one escaped, we need to be further away."

"Should we wake everyone else up?"

"Let's look over this map again first." He tells me as he pulls it from his pocket.

We stare down at it, trying to make sense of it.

"I think this is the river over here. It looks like water, right?" Gale asks as he points to a very crooked blue line that runs clear from the bottom of the page to the top. "My father said the river ran from one district to another. If we follow along the riverbed, we should find 13."

"But where are we now?" I can't make much sense of the map. And I have no idea of it's scale. "And how far do you think it is to 13?"

"I think we're somewhere over here. If we go sorta northwest, we should hit the riverbed. That'll help me figure out the scale of the map and then I can figure out about how far we have to go." He says as he folds it back up and secures it in his pocket again.

I stand and fold up our blanket. I notice others around us are waking up and I try not to stare but at the same time, I can't help it. I want to see who else managed to get out before the bombs. Gale was right. It's all Seam. I don't see a single townsperson. Everyone looks beaten down and somber. Still silence all around me. It's eerie and speaks volumes about what we all just survived. I notice that very, very few people have any belongings with them. Those that do must be the ones whose houses were closest to the fence. I'd say all in all, there are less than 20 of us. No one seems to know what to do. Gale's going to have to take the lead I think. Everyone knows he knows his way around the woods.

"Maybe you should speak to everyone?" I suggest as I nudge him with my elbow.

He takes a deep breath. "12 is completely gone and the Capitol will probably send out search crews to make sure none of us escaped. We need to move away from the area and put as much distance between us and 12 as possible. We can stick together if you all want. Or not, it's up to you. My family and I are heading out in a few minutes. Heading northwest." He announces.

Murmurs of talk fill the air. A few people step forward and announce they'll come with us. One smaller group seems to be in disagreement about it. Finally, a man steps forward and says that his group will come too. They'd be so foolish not to, I think to myself. They have nothing and know nothing about where they are right now. Sticking together is likely their best option.

We head out shortly there after. Walking in a loose cluster of people. As we walk, I hold onto Gale's hand. The adrenaline has worn thin and the gravity of knowing he's all I have left in this world is weighing down on me. My heart aches. I lost my friend. My home. My family. When I think of family, I think of my mother. She was in our house when it was hit. My father most likely in the justice building. I won't ever see either one of them again. Can never say my goodbyes. I swallow and use all my strength to hold back tears. I don't want to cry in front of everyone. I'll cry later, when I'm alone or after the sun goes down.

**(Gale POV)**

As we walk, I'm in complete survival mode. I don't know how we're going to feed all of us. Have no clue how soon we'll find a water source. And most of all, I have no idea what will be waiting for us in 13. I'm also trying to keep up with how far I think we're walking so I can try and set the map to scale and figure out just how long it will be until we can make it to whatever is waiting for us in 13.

I carry Posy for awhile and let Rory carry out suitcase. Even little Posy, who usually can't hush to save her life, doesn't utter more than a word or two. We all look like hell. Mostly cause we just went through it.

We walk for a long time until I notice a noise in the background of our footsteps. I stop instantly and listen. It's water! I hear water moving somewhere! I start to move faster, going towards the noise.

"Water. I hear water!" I tell Madge.

We keep going and then we hit the water I heard. It's the riverbed. And it has water in it. It's low but moving and flowing over the rocky bottom. We must be near the point where they damned it off. They probably let just a little trickle out and this is the run off.

"Can we drink it?" Someone calls out from behind us as we stand, staring down at the water.

"Yeah, it's moving." I call out.

People clamor down to the water, my crew included. I look up at the sky and gauge where the sun is. It's probably about noon. Took us a long time to get here. About six hours. I take Madge and we go off to the side and sit in the shade away from everyone.

I pull out the map again and look at it. Based on how it looks and how long it took us to reach the riverbed, I figure it'll take us at least two days to get to 13. I had no idea the districts were so far apart. That means we'll need to camp out again. I'll have to figure out the food situation. We don't have enough beans to feed everyone. I can set snares but I we'll have to stay put for a little to wait for anything to catch in them. If we stay here the rest of today, I can get enough snares set to maybe get some food by morning.

We go back over to the riverbed and I get everyone's attention. "I think we should camp here tonight. Get an early start in the morning. I can set some snares and try to catch us some food. The river will give us water to drink and clean up in. That sound good to everyone?"

I get some looks of relief and a few audible yeses. I think maybe 6 hours of walking in the woods is a lot for some of them and the idea of being done for today a welcome thought.

"You stay here with my family. I'm gonna go set those snares." I tell Madge as I kiss her forehead. Her face is soot and ash covered and I can't help but notice the tear trail streaks that run down her cheeks. Her hair's a matted mess. Her dress is ripped where it caught on trees and it's filthy. I've never seen her look such a mess before. I hope she's holding up better on the inside than she is on the outside.

I go and set as many snares as I can. I luck up and come across a blackberry bush that has some fruit on it. I pick every single berry. It won't be overly filling but it is food. And that combined with the beans should feed us for today. And if the snares work, we'll have food for tomorrow.

Back at where camp is, I find people sleeping and others still down in the riverwater. Madge is off to the side of the water, sitting on a large boulder. She's wearing Haymitch's long sleeved shirt. Her hair is wet, like she's washed it and her face is now smudge free. I see her dress hanging over a low tree branch. It looks like she rinsed it out in the river.

My mother sits with a sleeping Posy in her arms. Prim sits with her knees pulled up to her chest next to them. Vick and Rory are splashing around in the cold river water.

I go over to where Madge sits. "You cleaned up."

"I found the soap in the suitcase. Figured I'd feel better if I washed up a little. I tried to wash my dress but I think it may be a lost cause."

"Perhaps I'll feel better if I wash up too." I say as I pull my own shirt over my head. I strip all the way down to my boxers and step into the cold water. It makes me feel awake and refreshed. I scoop it up and splash it over my face and head. Madge hands me the soap and I work up a lather, rubbing the dirt and grit from my skin.

I don't have a towel to dry off so I just sit in the sun on the rock by Madge. It isn't long before I'm dry enough to get dressed again.

"I got us food for dinner. I'm sure everyone's starving. And if my snares work, we'll have food tomorrow too." I tell her as I redress.

"There was a little bit of talk about hunger while you were gone." She tells me.

We go over to the area where everyone is and I open up the suitcase, pulling out the cans of beans we rescued from Haymitch's house. I pop the tops off and pass them around along with the berries, making sure everyone knows this is all we have. Being that we're all Seam with the exception of Madge, we know how to stretch our food and share what we have. We're well accustomed to making do out of very little.

"How are you holding up?" I ask Madge as we sit off to ourselves a little.

"I don't know. I'm trying really hard to be strong and not think about it." She replies, her voice cracking.

"I just can't believe she did it. She's so stupid." I say without intending too. I mean it and all, I just hadn't planned on saying it out loud.

"Prim. I never thought she'd do that to Prim."

"I know. I know. I don't get it. I mean, I do. I get that she didn't want to let the Capitol make the choice for them and neither of them would choose. But still, I never would've thought she'd choose to…to end her life instead of coming home to Prim."

"Mrs. Everdeen?" She asks and I know she means what happened.

I shrug. "She either couldn't or wouldn't leave with my family. Very likely wouldn't. She's been just a shell for so long that Katniss may have been the breaking point for her. Prim will be with us now. My mother will take care of her."

Madge is quiet and I think about how she isn't far off from being in the same boat as Prim. She too lost her whole family yesterday. I put my arm around her shoulder and hug her to me, resting my chin atop her head. "I meant what I said to you yesterday. That I love you. I do. I love you so much. I don't know what I'd have done if you didn't make it out of there." I whisper. It feels like a million years ago that I first said those words to her.

"I love you too. I should've told you that yesterday."

I shake my head. "Now's the perfect time to tell me" I kiss her gently. Part of me knew she loved me. Part of me hoped she'd say it back. All of my melted when she did. I needed to hear it. Need the strength that I'd get from hearing her say it.

"You'll stay with us. You'll have my family as yours now." I tell her, hoping that comforts any loneliness she feels over the loss of her parents. I know what losing a parent feels like and I wouldn't wish that on my worst enemy. I hold onto her and vow to myself that I'll look out for her. I'll take care of her and make her as happy as I can. I'm all she has now and I refuse to let her down.


	26. Chapter 26

**Chapter 26**

**(Gale POV)**

I'm asleep when I hear someone cry out and I'm up, alert and on my feet before I know it. In the darkness, my eyes dart around trying to find whoever it was that screamed out. I hear my mother consoling someone. I go over to where they are.

"What happened?" I ask in whisper.

"Just a bad dream is all. Bound to happen. But it's all right now. You can go on back to sleep." She tells me as I see her hugging Prim and gently rocking from side to side.

I go back over to the tree Madge and I were sleeping under. I can't imagine how Prim is feeling. She lost the most. Not that loss should be measured. Grief hurts and torments us all, no matter the amount of loss. But I do think it's harder when you're younger, like Prim is.

I look down at Madge, still sleeping soundly. I can't believe I almost lost her. Those bombings started right at the start of town. Right where her house was. I could've easily lost her. Lost her forever. The fact that I didn't makes me more grateful than I've ever been. And these are not circumstances I'd normally picture myself being grateful in. But I am. In a way, it takes the sting out of losing Catnip. I haven't forgiven her for taking her own life, for causing all of 12 to be destroyed. And I think it will be a very long time before I'm able too. Still, I will be grateful for what I do have. I have all of my family and I have Madge.

My mind is too worked up to go back to sleep so I lay there thinking about what lies ahead of us. We'll start moving again today, shortly after breakfast. And we'll hopefully make decent progress. I want us to reach 13 by the end of tomorrow. More than two days of traveling like this will be too hard on everyone. And then there's 13 itself. What in the world are we gonna find waiting for us there? All my life I've been taught that 13 was destroyed and all the people killed. So why the map? Why would Haymitch have a buried map on how to get to 13? He must have some sort of knowledge that something is there that will save us. Maybe they had survivors like we did from 12. Maybe they too managed to escape the bombings and they rebuilt. But how could they exist without the Capitol's knowledge? How would they manage that? I shake my head to myself. They must have found a way and that has to be the way we'll all survive too.

The sky is just starting to lighten along the horizon so I know I should get up and get ready to go clear my snares but I don't want to leave Madge here. I'll bring her with me. She can help maybe. I lean down and kiss her face, first on nose, then on her forehead. "Wake up." I whisper.

"What time is it?" She yawns as she awakens and rubs her eyes.

"Bout a half hour before sunrise. Come with me to clear my snares?" I whisper.

She nods and gets up. She takes our blanket and folds it up, putting it back into our suitcase. I take it and place it over by my mother, Prim and Posy. My mother wakes just enough for me to tell her where we're going and then she nods back off.

Madge and I walk quietly, hand in hand amongst the trees as I lead us towards where I began setting snares yesterday. I had to set them just a little ways out because I didn't want anyone from our camp to accidentally stumble into one of them. Still close but far enough for safety's sake. Just before we get started checking snares, I decide I want to savor this moment with Madge. I want to watch the sunrise with her. Just days ago, on the train, we'd talked about how breathtaking they were out in the woods and how I'd never take her out here to see one but now that we're here, I want her to see it. Want to see it with her.

"Sit. Sun's gonna come up soon." I tell her as I sit down on the grassy hillside. She does but I want her closer so I loop my arms around her waist and pull her to sit between my legs, leaning back against me.

When the sky begins to turn watercolor shades of pink and purple, she leans forward onto her knees. "You were right, they are better out here." She says so quietly.

"I know. It's one of the prettiest things I've ever seen. And they're always this pretty."

"Is this why you wanted me to come clear your snares with you? So I could watch the sunrise?"

"No. I just didn't want to leave you at camp. But as we were heading out here, I remembered our train conversation and thought maybe it'd be a good time to show it to you."

"I'm glad you did. It's beautiful."

"Ready to get to work?" I ask as I pull us to our feet.

"Not sure I'll be of much help but let's give it a try." She tells me.

"It's easy, I'll show you. Mostly I just wanted your company while I worked." I confess.

We find my first snare and I see that I've gotten lucky. The grounds out here are clearly not hunted on because the size of the rabbit I caught is much bigger than anything I could've caught at home. As I clear it from the snare, I tell Madge what I'm doing and show her how I free the animal without tearing it up. She surprises me by not gagging or looking grossed out. I think some girls would be leery at the sight of a little blood or a dead animal. Especially one who is as proper as Madge is. I don't ask her to actually help though because I really meant it when I said I mostly just wanted her company.

When we're finished, we've ended up with enough food to feed all of us and hopefully have a little left over to carry with us. We'll have to clean it and cook it but I think we could still be on our way in about an hour. Maybe two.

When we arrive back at camp, we find everyone awake. Some are down at the water, washing up and others sit around quietly. Rory helps me clean all the game and a couple guys from our group gather some branches for a fire. As I work, I keep an eye on Madge as she sits with Prim and Posy. She's busy braiding their hair for them. It's funny how suddenly I find myself not wanting her out of my sight. Even yesterday as I set my snares, I kept wanting to get back and see her. I keep glancing over, making sure she's still there and that she's okay. It's silly and I know it but something in me just won't let me let her out of my sight. Residual fear or something, I don't know.

I use a little bit of the liquor I brought to get a fire going. I don't make it too big because I don't want it to smoke too much. I don't know if the Capitol is still searching for survivors or not but I don't want to risk drawing any attention our way. Rory helps me skewer the cleaned and chopped game onto sharp sticks and we pass them around so everyone can help cook. I make sure and tell the group only to eat what's necessary. Anything leftover can be taken with us.

After everyone has eaten, we wrap up the leftovers in strips of cloth from Madge's destroyed dress. I'm glad she washed it out yesterday. I hadn't though about not having a way to carry this food with us. We put out the fire and try to spread around the burnt wood and ashes. If they do send searchers out this far, I don't want obvious proof of our having been here.

We get on our way, walking quietly alongside the riverbed. I realize I haven't talked to my mother about 13 yet and decide at this point, it doesn't really matter. Our group seems to be fine following my lead. If need be, I can let everyone in on the whole map thing later.

We manage to walk for several hours before I notice the group beginning to lag. Probably a good time for a break. We stop for a break but I fully intend for us to get back moving again in the next hour or so. There's plenty of daylight left and we still have so much distance to cover.

"I'm going to go soak my feet in the water." Madge tells me as she reaches up to kiss me.

"I'll come with you." I tell her as I follow her down to the water's edge. There's more water flow here but still not deep.

"How much further do we have to go?" She asks as she unties her boots.

I pull out the map and unfold it. I look up at the sun to gauge the time and then back down at the map. "If we keep going for another few hours today, we should make it to about here." I say as I tap the map with my finger.

"And tomorrow?"

"I think we could do the rest of the way tomorrow if we really push ourselves."

"Gale I think you should tell everyone. Some of them may not want to go to 13."

"What other option do they have?"

"Stay out here? I don't know. I just have been thinking about it and I feel like it isn't fair to tell them, even if we don't know for certain what's waiting for us when we get there."

"Okay, we'll tell them. Come on." I tell her as I get up.

"I'll be up there in a few minutes." She tells me. "The water feels really good on my feet."

I look down at her feet as she cools them in the water and realize they're really red. I bend down and pull one from the water.

"I think the scrapes and cuts on your feet are getting infected. Do they hurt?" I ask as I trail my finger over the red puffy sores. She really tore her feet up walking in the woods without shoes on. Even with the socks, it still wasn't enough to protect her.

"They hurt a little but I think I'm just not used to so much walking."

"We need to put something on these. You definitely don't need to go getting any kind of infections. Hopefully, they're just a little irritated."

"We don't have anything to put on them. It'll have to wait. But I'm fine, really. The water feels good enough."

"We have this." I say as I hold up the liquor.

"That works?" She asks looking at me skeptically.

"Yeah. This stuff's strong enough to kill any bacteria." I say as I open the bottle. "Might burn a little though."

"Go ahead." She tells me, her voice unsure.

I pour a tiny amount over the open gashes and cuts. It bubbles so I know it's infected. I think we got it early enough though and if we clean them again tonight and again tomorrow, that should tide her over until we can get actual medicine in 13.

"Ahhh!" She cries out.

"Sorry. I know it burns. Let it dry and then we'll clean em again tonight." I say as I lean forward and plant a kiss on her knee. Her hand reaches out and ruffles my hair and a small smile breaks over her face. Seeing her smile fills me with relief I didn't even know I needed. I kiss her knee again once more for the hell of it and then stand up.

We make our way back up to where the rest of our group is resting and sharing some of the food. I take a deep breath and get everyone's attention.

"I think it's time I shared something with all of you. About where we're going. We're heading into District 13."

Murmurs fill the sir immediately and someone, I'm not sure who, calls out the question that I don't have an answer for. "But 13 was destroyed just like 12. What's there now?"

"We don't know for sure, but we think there may be something. There may have been survivors who rebuilt somehow. People who can help us, who can take us into their community."

And then the next expected question comes. "How do you know all this?"

"Haymitch Abernathy gave us a hint about it. We searched his house, found a map to lead us there. If we get going soon, we should reach 13 by late tomorrow."

"We aren't camping here tonight?" A woman asks.

"No. We should keep going. I'm not sure what's waiting for us in 13 but Haymitch wouldn't send us there if he didn't trust whatever it was. The sooner we get there, the sooner I think we'll be safe from the Capitol finding us."

"You think they're looking? Will they find us?" Panicked questions start to flood me.

"Not sure if they'll still be looking or if they'd even look this far out into the woods but I for one won't feel completely safe until I get to 13 and see it for myself."

"What if nothing's there? What if that old drunk was wrong?"

"We'll figure it out when we get there. I don't think he's wrong but we won't know for certain until we see it for ourselves."

My mother stands and picks up Posy. Rory and Vick and Prim get up too. A few more begin to stand too. One by one, they all stand and we move forward. Continuing our hike to whatever it is that lays waiting for us.

**(Madge POV)**

My feet ache. Both from all the walking and from the cuts on the bottom of them. The alcohol Gale poured over them stung worse than anything. He said it would kill any bacteria that was causing the small wounds to be infected. At first, I seriously doubted that would work. I'd never heard such a thing before. But then, oh my goodness! I swear I felt the sting of it clear down to the bone! Anything that hurts that bad must be working.

Gale had informed our group of the destination we were making our way towards. They seemed skeptical, as expected. But they also seemed to really trust Gale and we'd all continued on our way. I just hope that there really is something waiting for us once we get to 13. As we walk, I notice how tightly he's holding my hand. Like he doesn't want to let go. I don't mind though. In fact, I think I probably need the feel of his hand around mine. It makes me feel grounded. Safe.

By the time we stop for the night, I'm exhausted and welcome the chance to rest. I can't wait to sit and soak my feet in the cool water and just sit. I start to head down to the water but Gale stops me.

"Thought maybe you could come help me with the snares again." He says in a sort of asking, sort of pleading way.

I don't care to go. I'm tired and really all I want to do is sit still and let the cold water numb my aching feet. But if he wants me to be there, I'll do it for him. "If you want me to, sure." I say with a tired smile.

"I want." He smiles.

We go out a little distance into the woods and I stand back as he does what he does best. He's so skillful as he works, his hands sometimes moving so quickly that I can't even see what exactly it is they're doing. He's good at this. And we're all really lucky that he is. If it weren't for him, I seriously doubt we'd survive out here. It would just be a matter of days and we'd surely starve.

Before we head back, I stop him. I need to let him know how lucky we are to have him. "Gale, I don't know if anyone has told you but I want to be sure that you know just how grateful I am for you taking care of feeding all of us and leading us to 13."

He smiles at me and shakes his head. "It's good for me. Keeps me busy. Keeps my mind from thinking too much."

"Well, you're appreciated." I reiterate.

"And I appreciate your company while I work." He says with a kiss.

When we head back, everyone is down at the water. We go and join them. I wouldn't say that spirits are high amongst our camp but they're higher than they were in the first few hours following the bombings. I think most of us are being fueled by the hope that once we reach 13, some sort of haven will be waiting for us.

"C'mon, let's have a look at those feet. How do they feel?" He asks me as I sit on a rock and he unties my boots, pulling them off one by one.

"They're a little tender and tired." I admit. It won't do any good to try and hide it from him.

"Why don't you let em sit in the water for a bit and then I'll clean em up with the liquor again."

"Are you nervous about what's in 13?" I ask.

"Yeah, a little. But mostly I just wanna get there already. If it was just me, I wouldn't stop for tonight. I'd keep going."

"Some of us aren't as manly and rugged as you, you know." I tease a little.

"I like you better as the non-manly-rugged type." He teases back.

Rory and Posy come over and Gale plays in the water with them for a little while as I sit and watch. When the sun starts to set and the kids go up to get settled under the trees for the night and Gale gets out the liquor to cleanse my beat up feet again. It burns like fire, just like it did earlier. He has me keep my socks and boots off for a little while though and carries me back up to where everyone else is. He sits under a tree, selecting one slightly away from where the others have gathered. He did that last night too. He slides down and sets me on his lap.

"You sleepy?" He asks me.

"I am. I'm not used to sleeping outside like we have been though. It's different."

"Maybe 13 will have beds. Nice, soft comfy beds." He tells me as he runs his fingers through my hair.

I close my eyes and picture this imaginary bed. Oh how nice that would be right now! "With soft linens and a fluffy pillow too." I add to our daydream.

"Know what I'd like? One of those steamy hot showers like on the train." He says.

I moan in angst. The cold river water is better than nothing but a hot shower would be heavenly about now. And towels. Clean towels too.

"Guess we have high hopes for 13, huh?"

"Looks like it." I agree as I try to stifle a yawn.

The next thing I know, I feel him slipping my shoes and socks on my feet. It's quiet around us. Not a sound. And it's completely dark. I must have fallen asleep. I try to sit up and put on my own shoes but he stops me.

"Shhh, just go back to sleep. I just didn't want your feet to get cold or dirty while you slept. Didn't mean to wake you." He tells me quietly.

"You should sleep too." I mumble.

"I will. Once you're asleep, I will too." He says as he lays back and pulls me with him, covering us with our blanket. With his arms around me, I'm soon drifting off again. The next time I open my eyes, it's morning. Early morning and he's waking me up to go with him and clear snares. His eyes look tired and I wonder if he ever really slept. In fact, I'm not sure I've seen him actually sleep the whole time we've been out here.

Once we're away from camp, I ask him about it. "Gale, have you slept at all? You look tired."

"I am tired."

"But didn't you sleep?" I press.

"I slept enough. Right now, I just wanna get these cleared and get going. The sooner we eat and get on our way, the sooner we'll be there."

"Here, let me help. I'll go clear those over there." I say, realizing that he is just as exhausted as he looks. I can hear it in his voice and all I want to do is help.

"No, don't. Just stay by me. You can help carry." He tells me. I don't argue even though I want too. In less than half an hour, we've cleared the snares and are headed back to camp. We didn't get nearly as much today and it seems to have Gale in a bit of a mood. Well, maybe it's that combined with the lack of good sleep.

"I think we're close. Maybe closer than I assumed. The snares didn't catch as much. Makes me think that the land here is more frequently hunted than where we were yesterday." He finally says as we approach camp.

I just nod. He hasn't been very chatty as he worked this morning and I want to tread lightly.

"Hey, sorry if I'm coming off grumpy. I'm just tired and ready to be there. Wherever there is." He tells me as he throws me an apologetic look.

"We'll be there soon and as soon as we do, I want you to get some sleep. Real sleep. Okay?"

"I will. I promise."

At camp, everyone is up and awake. Most of them eager to see what we've come back with by way of food. Rory helps Gale get the little bit of food cleaned up and prepared. I don't like to watch that part so I go to wash my face at the river and take Posy with me. She's not big on watching the boys clean the animals either.

"Are you gonna live at our house now?" She asks me.

"I don't know. Guess it'll be a surprise." I tell her because I really don't know how to answer her. It's a valid question. I just haven't the slightest idea of how to answer it. I don't know how 13 will be set up. Will we have a house? Do they even have houses there? Will Mrs. Hawthorne want me joining her family home? And will I be a burden on them? I have so many questions and practically no answers. I can only hope whatever we find in 13 today, I hope it's what we all need, whatever that may be.

_**A/N: Next chapter will be their arrival in 13! What do you think they'll find...**_


	27. Chapter 27

**Chapter 27**

**(Madge POV)**

I skip eating breakfast. We didn't get very much this morning and I feel a little guilty eating. The people with us are all Seam people who never get enough to eat whereas I've always had more than my fair share of food. And even now, when everything in our world has suddenly become an even playing field and we're all out here with nothing, I feel the guilt creeping in as I look at the small amounts of food that has to feed so many. I know I shouldn't feel this way, but I do.

Gale doesn't eat either but something tells me that he's long since become accustomed to going without meals. Together, we sit down on a river rock and wait while the others eat. I lean against him and close my eyes. Not for the purpose of resting but so that I can drink in the comfort that comes from having him here. That comfort helps ebb the pain that comes from the loss of my family and my home. His arms wrap around me, hanging loosely around my waist.

"You should've eaten something. We've got a long day ahead of us. You're gonna wish you had eaten." He tells me.

"I have everything I want sitting right here with you."

"Likewise." He says, his voice muffled by my hair as he kisses the top of my head.

We sit awhile longer and then go up to help gather the camp for the remainder of our journey. Gale consults the map once more, ensuring we're still following it the right way. We are. We just have to keep going alongside the river and then we'll be there.

A couple hours into our walk, we stop for a water break and rest for a half hour. There isn't any food for the break and my stomach is growling but I don't pay it any attention. I just drink a good amount of water and rest my legs for a bit. Gale of course does the same.

The trek towards 13 continues and the day drags on but I think it mostly feels that way because I'm so ready for us to be there. Because we are all so ready for us to be there. Every one of us, tired weary and ready for whatever we'll soon be finding. All of us hopeful that it will be our new home.

I notice the river getting wider and stronger. The water looks to be much deeper now and I can see fish swimming in it. I wish we had time for another break so I could stop and stare at them for a while. I've never seen wild fish before. I've seen captured fish in an aquarium in the Capitol when I was younger but that was much different. This, this is the world occurring exactly as it was intended. True nature. And I've never gotten to see anything like this before. I swear Gale chuckled a little at how excited I got when I first spotted the fish. He doesn't say anything but he smiles. A good smile.

Finally, Gale stops walking. We all stop walking. And we look at what's before us. My stomach falls and my mouth lets out a gasp. I don't even have words for what sits before us.

**(Gale POV)**

Just as we come over a hill, there it sits. 13. Or what it used to be. The sad, sorry remains of 13. Charred trees and piles of rubble. Long since forgotten by our country. There isn't anything here. No life anyway. Just ruins and remains of what once was.

Our whole group is silent. Everyone stops and stares. I don't even know what to say. Haymitch was wrong. No one is here. Or maybe he wasn't wrong. Maybe he knew no one was here and he wanted us to know this would be a place we could come to and rebuild on our own. Or maybe he had no idea what was here. Maybe all he was doing was sending us out on a hope and a prayer that perhaps there may be something here. Maybe that's all he was doing. Simply hoping. And now it's all for shit. There's nothing here. I drop down and take a seat right there on the hill. I have no idea what to do now. And I know the questions will be coming my way any second now. I don't know what to do about it. I have no idea how to lead us all now.

"So this is it? This is what we've been walking for days to find?" A man calls out from behind me. It isn't an accusatory comment or question. It's more of a dumbfounded one.

Madge steps up and does something I wouldn't have expected. She turns to face the group. "I know this isn't what any of us had hoped to find here but that doesn't matter. What matters is that we're here and we're alive." She announces with great strength in her tone.

"Well what are we gonna do now?"

"I think we should camp here tonight. Figure out a plan in the morning once we're all rested." She tells us.

I stand back up, finding my strength again. "She's right. Let's rest here tonight and we can come up with a plan in the morning."

"Is it safe here?" A woman asks, her voice full of fear and concern.

"I think that it is. I'm gonna go down and walk amongst the rubble, see if we can find anything of use, though I doubt there'd be much left after so many years."

"What should we do while you do that? Do you want some of us to help?" A man offers and steps forward.

"Just hang back here. Keep the kids away from town. No need in anyone getting hurt or lost in that mess down there. Get yourselves settled. I'll be back before dark."

They offer up nods of approval and a few murmured agreements. Madge starts to go with them and I reach out and grab her hand to make her wait.

"Wait. I want you to come with me." I tell her. It isn't practical at all. She's wearing boots that are too big and only a button down shirt that grazes her knees. Her legs are completely unprotected. But I don't care. I want her with me. I need her with me, where I can see her.

"Me? Wouldn't Rory or one of the other men be better?"

"Probably so. Just would rather it be you."

"Okay, if you're sure." She tells me and we start down the hill towards the remains of the district.

"Stick right by me. Be careful where you step." I warn her. "And be sure to tell me if you see anything at all that could help us in camp or give us any kind of clue as to what Haymitch was thinking sending us here."

"Got it."

After we make our way down the hill we pause at the edge of the destruction. It makes me nervous to go digging around in this mess but there could be stuff we need. We have practically nothing to make a camp out of. Hell, most of us don't even have anything more than the clothes on our backs. My family is lucky enough to have blankets but no one else has much beyond clothing. If we can find anything at all, it will be helpful.

I hold tight to Madge's hand and help her step into the rubble with me. Charred and broken wood from the buildings that used to stand here have created a sort of maze that we have to climb through. Big hunks of concrete and re-barb jut out and broken, smoke stained glass is everywhere. I'm already regretting bringing Madge because there are so many ways she could get hurt out here but still, I don't send her back. Something in me just won't let me be too far away from her. So instead, I hold tight and help guide her steps. She's careful, letting me guide her. We have to really climb through a lot before we come upon a partially still standing building.

"Do you think it's safe to go inside?" Madge asks as we both stand at the edge, peering inside. One whole wall is completely missing and the roof is mostly all gone.

"Maybe. If we're careful. It looks like there's maybe some stuff inside, if we can just get to it."

"It looks really unstable Gale." She cautions as I take a step inside.

"You stay out here. If it holds up okay and I see stuff we can use, I'll come back and get you."

"If you think I'm letting you go in there just so we can see if the whole thing will collapse on you, you've more than lost your mind." She tells me as she folds her arms across her chest.

I sigh. "I just wanna see if there are supplies in there."

"Then we both go. And with caution. If it at all looks like it's about to collapse, we stop and get out of there immediately whether we have supplies in hand or not." She bargains.

I agree but only because I know it's the only thing she'll let me do and because I want so badly to get whatever is in there.

"Looks like it was someone's home." Madge mutters as we get fully inside.

"That's good. That means we may find something." I tell her.

The floor creaks under our weight and movement and we both freeze and look at each other.

"It's just the floor. Floors creaked at my house in the Seam. If it's gonna cave in on us, it'll be the walls and the roof making the noise." I tell her. I only half believe it even as I'm saying it.

"I'm going to have to trust you know what you're talking about." She half jokes, nervously.

"Look! A pot!" I almost shout out of excitement as I spot a large cast iron pot amongst the mess. A pot means we'll be able to boil water for bathing or cooking. I grab it and get a good look at it. It's worn and a little battered for having been out here for so long but it's plenty usable.

"That's good, I'm sure we can use that. We really need blankets and such though. Something we can make bedding out of."

"We'll find it. If anything like that is here, we'll find it." I tell her as we keep looking.

We search through several of the ramshackle homes until it gets dark enough that we have to stop and head back. We don't find a lot but we are able to bring back to camp the big cast iron pot, a few pieces of clothing and most importantly a few blankets that are going to have to be washed out before they're usable.

Once we get back to where we left the others, we see that they have begun setting up camp and are milling about it restlessly.

"We found a few things. We'll be able to go back tomorrow and look more." I say as I drop our finds at my feet.

"No signs of anyone still living here?" A woman asks with pure hope in her voice.

"No. It looks like everyone who ever was here is long gone."

"And nothing down there is habitable? No houses still standing?"

"Not that we saw. Everything seems to have been at least partially damaged."

"What do we do now? Do we stay here?" The questions are coming faster now and I'm not even sure which person is asking as a crowd forms around us.

"It isn't my decision. I think we could stay here. Set up camp. Maybe rebuild some depending on what we can salvage. But I'm open to suggestions if anyone has ideas." I tell them.

"How about for tonight, we just rest. We'll all think more clearly in the morning." My mother suggests in a soothing tone.

"These blankets for anyone?" A man asks, eyeing the loot at my feet. His tone is sharp and puts me on edge.

"For anyone who wants one. They're pretty dusty and could use a good washing but I think they still have some worth."

He snatches one up and then another. At first I think he's about to take them all for himself and it pisses me off but before I can say anything I see him turn and hand them to the women in the group. He isn't taking them for himself, he's passing them out. His tone wasn't meant as anger towards me but was simply an expression of current frustrations. I throw my mother a grateful look of appreciation for trying to help calm what felt like a rising panic. She smiles a very tired smile and then herds the kids off towards the trees she's chosen to sleep under. I see that she's piled pine needles up to cushion the ground and I hope that helps her sleep more comfortably. None of us are used to sleeping on the ground and when you combine that with walking all day as we have, it makes for very sore bodies.

"You should take some of the clothes, if anything looks like it would fit you." I tell Madge.

"I'll look at them tomorrow. They'll need to be washed out and I'm fine in this shirt for now. Come on, let's go make ourselves a bed and get some sleep. I have a feeling tomorrow's going to be a very long day."

We copy my mother's idea and create a mat of pine needles on the ground. I lay half our blanket down on it and then fold the other half of it over us. It's not the best thing I ever slept on, but it sure beats the cold hard ground. I pull Madge as close to me as I can and bury my face in her hair.

"It's all going to be okay. We will figure it out." She comforts me. She can tell I'm stressed and feel the mounting pressures to be the leader of our group.

"I just can't believe there's nothing here."

"Don't think about it tonight. Tomorrow we'll think about it and figure it out together. Tonight, you just need to try and sleep." She tells me as her fingers start to rub small circles over my chest. Her lips gently press against me and then she pulls back to look up at me. "I love you."

"I love you too." I tell her as my eyelids fall shut and I'm lulled to sleep by her gentle touch.


	28. Chapter 28

**Chapter 28**

**(Madge POV)**

He falls asleep so quickly and it fills me with relief. I was getting worried about him and knew he hadn't been sleeping right. Still, even after his breathing became rhythmic and a gentle snore came filled the air, I'd let my fingers keep tracing small circles against his skin. It seemed to have soothed him to sleep and a little part of me hoped that if I kept doing it, he'd sleep better. I so badly wanted him to get some rest. I'd continued for at least an hour before I myself drifted off to sleep.

When I awoke the next morning, he was still sound asleep. Seeing him there, out cold, made me smile. I gently pulled away from him and tucked the blanket around him. He looked so peaceful. So still. It's early but a few people around camp are up and moving around. Soon, I know everyone will be up and hunger will be an issue. Everyone went to bed without food last night. I hadn't eaten all day and my stomach was already panging for food. I decide to go see if I can find another one of those blackberry bushes that Gale had found the other day. If I can, then maybe I can bring back some fruit for breakfast.

I see that Mrs. Hawthorne is awake and down by the river's edge washing the clothing we'd found in the rubble yesterday. Prim is with her, helping. I walk down and tell Prim where I'm going. She's sitting on the rocks, laying the clothes out so they can dry in the sun. Mrs. Hawthorne has wadded out a little over knee deep and is busy scrubbing down a faded green shirt with one of the bars of soap. She looks up and smiles then quickly returns her attention to her work.

"Hey, I'm going to go look for some blackberry bushes or whatever other food I can find. I'll be back soon." I tell Prim.

"I hope you find something." She replies as she continues to wring out wet clothing and lay them against the rocks. She's polite and all but she just doesn't feel like Prim. Poor thing. Her heart must be so broken right now. She's lost so much and she's so young. I should try and spend some time with her soon. Maybe some girl time will help.

Out in the woods, I walk for awhile before I find anything. When I do, it's a scrawny bush with only a little fruit on it but just finding it makes me happy. I pick every single ripened berry. After, I stare down at them and figure it's only enough to feed maybe 1 or 2 of us. But where there's one blackberry bush, there's bound to be another, right? So, I bundle up my berries in the cloth scraps I brought with me and I keep walking, searching for more fruit. I luck out after about a half hour and find a massive bush, brimming with juicy, ripened berries. I let out an audible squeal and begin picking as fast as I can. If I hurry, I should be able to get these back to camp before everyone gets their day started.

I pick as much as I can carry and start heading back. After a few minutes, I realize that I've gotten myself a little turned around and now I'm lost. I don't panic though. Not yet anyway. I know I haven't travelled too far so I know I can find my way back. I just need to stop and make sure I'm going the right way. I look up at the sky to see where the sun is at. I know when I left camp, it was rising to my back. I remember that much. So, I need to walk towards it. Right? If I do that, then eventually, I'll hit the river, even if I end up a little down stream, I can follow the river back to camp.

I walk for awhile and it feels like too long. I should be running into the river by now and I'm not. Was I wrong about the sun? It was rising behind me this morning wasn't it? I stop and look around. The sun is up higher now. I figure I've been gone from camp about an hour and half. Maybe two. The panic is just starting to set in when I hear my name being called. Gale. It's Gale!

I call back out to him. "Gale! I'm over here!"

In seconds he's running towards me, his face is full of concern and also relief. First he grabs me and hugs me so tight I can barely breathe. Then he lets go and steps back.

"Where in the hell have you been?" He asks angrily.

I'm a little taken aback by his tone so I hesitate for a moment. "I…I went to get blackberries and I got a little turned around is all." I explain.

"I woke up and you were gone! You were just gone!" He yells.

Tears spring to my eyes and I move back a step. He's never been angry at me like this. "I'm sorry. I didn't plan to be gone so long. I…I just wanted to find some food for everyone."

He runs his hands over his face and lets out a big sigh. "Why didn't you wake me up? I would've come with you." He asks. He doesn't yell but his tone is still brimming with anger.

Through falling tears I explain. "You were sleeping so soundly and I know you needed the rest. I told Prim where I was going. And I really did mean to come right back."

"You told a 12 year old that you were going to go wondering around in the woods alone." He says flatly.

I feel downright terrible and all I want right now is to just go back to camp. "I said I was sorry." I tell him through my tears and brush past him heading in the direction he just came from.

"Wait." He calls out after me. I don't. I keep walking. He calls out to me again and catches up to me, grabbing hold of my arm to get me to stop.

"I really don't want to fight about this. I just want to get back to camp." I tell him without looking at him.

His arms close around me and his voice is soft again. Apologetic now. "I'm sorry for yelling. I'm sorry for being so angry."

"I just wanted to help." I sob into his chest.

"Can we sit for a minute?" He says as he pulls us down to the ground and me onto his lap. "Listen, I wanna explain why I flipped out like that."

I look up at him and his fingers brush over my cheeks to wipe away the tears that are still falling.

"Madge, when I woke up and you weren't there, I freaked out. I couldn't find you anywhere. And that…"He pauses and takes a deep breath. "That is terrifying for me. I can't handle you being out of my sight right now."

"I can't always be right there all the time Gale."

"I know that. I do. But Madge, a couple days ago, I thought I'd lost you. Thought you were dead. I don't know how to tell you, how to make you understand what that felt like for me. I just watched my best friend in the whole world die. I thought you died. I watched our district get burned to bits. I am terrified of losing you. Terrified to the freaking core that I'll lose you. I know it's irrational and all but I feel like I need you with me all the time." He explains and his voice cracks.

I look up and he quickly wipes away a few tears from his eyes. "Gale, I love you and I'm so sorry I scared you."

He kisses me, long and hard, holding tightly to my shoulders. "Love you." He says back with a breathless voice.

I kiss him again, eager and wanting more. He kisses back, mirroring my want for more of him. We both need this. We both need each other. He ends up breaking the kiss first, pulling back. "We should go back. Got a lot to talk about and a lot to do." He says.

We get up and I brush the dirt from my legs and pick up the bundle of berries I found. He notices it for the first time and takes it from me. "All this? Good job!"

"I figured everyone would be starving."

Back at camp, we quickly find I was right. The berries are well received by absolutely everyone and as we sit around eating them up, talk begins about what our plan should be. I lean in close to Gale, resting my weight against him as I do. His words from earlier run through my mind. It explains so much. Why he hasn't been going anywhere without me. Why he hasn't been sleeping very well until utter exhaustion took over. He's scared. And it makes sense to me. Everything he said makes sense to me. How losing practically everything can make you so scared of losing what little you have left. So I tell myself I'll do what I can to make sure he knows I'm here and with him totally and completely.

**(Gale POV)**

I roll over and the emptiness beside me brings me fully awake and alert instantly. She's gone. I'm on my feet with a quickness and search all around camp for her. Others are up and I ask a few if they've seen her but no one has. I check down by the river and see my mother. I ask her and she says she saw her earlier but isn't sure where she is now. My heart is racing and I feel like I can't breathe. Prim offers up that she went off in search of food. Food? She's out alone in the woods looking for food? Has she lost her mind?

I take off towards the woods and begin calling her name as loud as I can. I'm out there, searching in total panic, screaming her name for a good twenty minutes before I hear her call back to me. Everything in me relaxes and I run towards her voice. Seconds later I've got my arms around her and finally I can breathe again.

Then, as quickly as I'd been filled with relief, I feel fury building. I step back and unleash it on her without being able to control myself. I yell at her for taking off without telling me. As I'm yelling, I can clearly see I'm upsetting her, making her cry. I try to stop but I can't. I need her to know how much she scared me. I need her to know that I can't have her away from me. Not right now.

She tearfully apologizes and steps past me, heading towards camp. Shit. I'm such an ass. A total ass. I call out to her to wait. I need to explain and make her understand. I end up having to run after her and having to grab her. I pull her into a hug, pressing her against my chest. I'm so sorry for yelling at her and for the way I unleashed everything on her. She doesn't deserve that. She deserves an explanation.

So I tell her. I confess all my fear right there even as it pulls tears from my own eyes to admit it out loud. Saying it doesn't make it feel any easier. Doesn't make it any less awful or terrifying. But it does seem to help her understand why I've been acting so clingy.

I hold onto her and I kiss her. Really kiss her. God it's been so long since I really got to kiss her like this. It eases the fears and calms me down. And from the way she insistently kisses me back, I think she needs this too. But we don't have time for this. We need to get back to camp and help form the plan of what in the hell we're all gonna do.

I'm impressed when I see just how many berries she managed to find. She gathered enough for all of us to eat a little bit. As our camp mates sit around us eating and discussing the options, she leans against me and lovingly grazes her fingers over my knee. Already forgiving me for lashing out at her. It's part of what makes her so perfect, so wonderful. She's got such a huge heart.

"I think we should go through the rubble, see what else we can find. Take materials and stuff so we can start building some real shelters. Can't take many more nights on the ground like this."

"Rebuild here? Is that what everyone wants?" I ask.

"What else can we do? Besides, it's clear from the looks of that rubble that no Capitol folks come around here anymore. They've long since forgotten about the mess they left behind here."

"We could keep going. See what else we find further north." I offer up not because it's something I necessarily feel we should do but because I want to be sure we're considering all of our options.

"And what? Hope we come across another run down town? No way. I say we stay here and salvage what we can of this place."

"Alright. But we should vote. All in favor of staying put her and rebuilding?" I ask.

One by one, hands go up all around. Madge's hand included. And finally my own.

"So it's settled. We stay here and we salvage from the rubble. Rebuild however we can." I say.

"There's more to think about. We need to have food. We need to set camp boundaries for safety." A woman adds as all of the men begin to stand up, myself included.

"She's right." My mother agrees.

"Okay, so for now, only the men go down to dig through the buildings. It's a mess and not very safe. No one goes off alone. Too the woods, the river or the rubble. I can work on getting food and my girlfriend and brother can help me." I tell everyone. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Madge's cheeks flush when I say the word "girlfriend". I hold back a smirk.

Everyone sort of nods in agreement. All the men of the group gather and prepare to head into the buildings and start working. I want to go with them but I know I need to get out in the woods with Rory and Madge and set some snares so we can eat tonight. The berries were good but I'm not stupid. They won't last long and in a few hours we'll all be hungry again.

My mother pulls me aside. "Gale, do you really think having Rory help you hunt is a good idea? He's still very young."

"I was much younger than him when Dad started taking me out." I sigh. She's always been easy going with me, letting me come and go, never asking a lot of questions or weighing me down with a lot of rules but when it comes to the other kids, she's super cautious.

"I realize that Gale but I worry. You don't know these part of the woods the way you knew the ones back home and you don't know what's out there." She reasons.

"How bout we ask Rory what he wants to do?" I offer. Rory who jumps at the sound of his name chimes right in.

"Ma, I wanna go."

I look at my mother and smile while shrugging. "Looks like he wants to go."

She nods and I can see anxiety starting to take it's toll on her already. "Don't worry, we're just gonna set a couple snares close by. I need his help." I tell her, softer this time.

I turn to Madge. "I want you to come too, okay?"

I half expect her to argue but she just nods a little and gives my hand a light squeeze. She's appeasing my fears. She knows I need her out there not to help me but to just be where I can see that she's okay.

We head out to the woods, staying moderately close to camp like I promised my mother that we would for Rory's sake. I show him how to set up one of the easiest snares I know. It was the very first one my dad taught me, back when he'd begun taking me outside the fence. He's a quick learner and after a few attempts, he's able to set one successfully on his own. I supervise as he sets a few just to be sure he's got the hang of it. Madge stands and watches us both silently. I know she's watching and probably learning how to set snares for herself but I don't want her to do it. Nope. I just want her here for peace of mind.

A few hours later when we get back to camp, I'm surprised to see the amount of stuff waiting for us. The men have been really busy. There's a massive pile of boards that aren't fully burned. A couple large sheets of metal that look like they used to be part of a roof. And a pile of bricks.

"Wow, they got a lot done while we were gone." Madge says as she nudges me with her elbow.

"Yeah, that's fantastic." I acknowledge. We can build a stove out of those bricks I think to myself. And with the pot we found yesterday, that'll make it easier to cook. If we can make soups or stews out of the game we catch, we can stretch our food supply a little further. That would be a huge help. Huge. And those boards and metal sheets will help build a decent shelter. It's a really good haul for a first day's work. Really good.

My mother shoots me a thankful look as soon as she sees that Rory is back at camp, safe and sound. He goes off to tell Prim and Vick about how he learned to set a snare. Kid's so excited he can hardly contain himself. I smile to myself, remembering the feeling of my first snare. I couldn't shut up about it. I remember telling my mother with such pride how I'd set one all by myself and how my father had said I'd done a good job.

With our work finished for the day, I decide it's a good time for a break. A break from planning, a break from hunting. A break to just be with Madge. I turn to her and smile, leaning down to kiss her once.

"How about you and I disappear for a little while? Still have a few hours before the sun goes down and I could really use a break." I ask her hopefully.

"I would love to disappear with you." She tells me as she chews on her bottom lip.

I grab her hand and practically run with her down the riverbank to a more secluded spot. As soon as we're away from everyone and alone, I hungrily pull her to me, covering her lips with mine. God, I need her. Need this closeness, this kiss.

I hold onto her even after I pull away from the kiss to look at her. To take in those baby blue eyes of hers. She's so beautiful. Even now, after days out in the woods, living outside and with no real clothing, no real comforts, she manages to take my breath away.

"How is it that you manage to look so damn beautiful, even after living out in the wild for days on end? Hmmm?" I ask her.

Her face flushes. "Stop it." She mumbles. "I haven't looked in a mirror but I'm positive I look like the filthy mess I feel like."

"How bout we get cleaned up?" I ask as I step backwards towards the water pulling her to come with me.

"The water's deeper here. And it's strong." She says warily, eyeing the flowing river behind me.

"I can swim. We'll be fine."

"I can swim too. I just…I've never been in real water this deep before."

"You can swim?" I ask in surprise. I only know because I learned in a lake out in the woods. No one in our district should know how to swim.

She nods. "The Capitol. A swimming pool. Vacation when I was younger." She explains with very little detail.

"Well then it's settled. We're getting cleaned up. The both of us." I tell her as I pull my shirt over my head and then unbutton my pants, stepping out of them and kicking them aside.

Her cheeks flush and she tries to look away. I smirk and lift her chin so I can see her face. "I don't think I'll ever get tired of watching those cheeks of yours go ten different shades of pink." I tease.

She rolls her eyes at me and smiles at the same time. I reach out and begin to unbutton the oversized men's shirt she's got on. Slowly, I undo each button, one at a time. Our eyes locked with one another's. No talking, just breathing. Once it's unbuttoned, I pull it off of her and drop it, letting it pool around her ankles. I've undressed her once before. On the train home from the Capitol. I'd helped her change into my shirt. It'd felt so sensual then. It feels even more so now. I reach up and undo the tie in her hair, letting her blond hair fall around her shoulders.

I step into the water and she comes with me, eyes still locked on mine. I wade out until I'm waist deep, holding onto her the whole time. The water feels cool and refreshing and I go out a little further so I can dunk under. When I come up, I see she's done the same. Her hair now wet and dripping. Her skin now glistening with water in the sunlight. I can't take it anymore. I move forward, closing what little distance there was between us, lifting her up to kiss her. My hands move down over her bare skin and find her hips. I lift her and her legs fold around my waist. I kiss her, gently first, peppering her cheek and face with quick kisses. Then I find her lips and they crash against mine, filling me with intensity. She locks her arms around my neck and I feel her fingers in my hair. Her touch is driving me crazy.

I drag my lips down to her neck and let them linger there. I step out of the water, wanting to lay her down, wanting to see more of her, wanting to touch more of her. I lay her down against the grass. Her chest rising and falling quickly as she breathes. Her blue eyes taunting me. I hover over her and kiss her, sliding my lips down her neck, onto her stomach, my hands running over her legs. I kiss back up, my hands moving over her, touching her. My mouth finds her earlobe and I kiss it. I whisper against her ear. "I love you so much."

Her voice is breathy when she responds. "I love you too Gale Hawthorne."

The sound of her breathing out my name like that fuels an entire new level of need for her. I reach out and interlace my fingers with hers. Her hands are trembling. I can feel it against my own. "Are you scared?" I whisper. Our faces so close to one another, my eyes unable to look away from hers.

"No. I want you. Right now, I want you."

And I want her too. I won't have us wait anymore. I couldn't even if I thought we should. I love her too much. Want her too much. Need her so much. Right here. Right now.


	29. Chapter 29

**Chapter 29**

**(Madge POV)**

It sounds cliché but it really was everything I'd imagined it would be. Being with Gale. In that way. In the way that I'd been craving, wanting to be with him. God, the feel of his hands, his lips against my skin had driven me wild with want for him. It was terrifying and thrilling and all in a good way. I'd trembled with nervousness and he'd taken notice of it as our hands folded into one another. He'd been so loving, making sure I was okay. Making sure that what we were about to do was exactly what I wanted. And it was. Oh, how it was.

Afterwards, he'd held me so close to him and I'd closed my eyes as we lay there, wrapped up in each other. I'd wanted to savor the feeling of euphoria that was spinning through my head and body. I'd never felt this wonderful before and I wanted to make sure this feeling lasted as long as humanly possible.

After we'd gotten dressed again we'd reluctantly headed back to camp. His hand holding onto mine the whole walk back. And he kept looking over at me, smiling and if I didn't know better, blushing a little. Finally, I stopped walking and turned to him. I had to know.

"What?" He asks instantly as I looked at him inquisitively.

"Are you blushing every time you glance over at me?"

He sighs and his mouth turns into a guilty sort of smile. "Busted." He admits, his cheeks now definitely pink.

"So what gives? I ask with a laugh. For all the times he's teased me about my face blushing, I've never once seen him blush over anything.

"It's just…it's never been like that. Ever."

"What do you mean?" I ask nervously.

"No, wait. It's a good thing. A great thing."

"I don't understand."

He smiles at me. "For all the times before, for all the other girls, it was never like this. It never felt that way and never meant so much." He leans down, hands covering both my cheeks and he kisses me. "I never knew what it felt like to be with someone I truly loved."

A flutter flits through me as his words sink in. He kisses me again and I let myself fall into the kiss, leaning against him. God, I love him.

"C'mon. We gotta get back before dark." He whispers against my lips as he steals one more kiss."

We arrive back at camp to see that everyone is seated around a fire. The sun has just set and the fire looks warm and welcoming but I'm not sure a fire is a good idea. We hadn't been having them because we were worried that the fire would attract attention.

"Do you think it's safe to have a fire now?" I ask Gale as we approach.

He shrugs. "Beats me. I feel like it is but then again, I'm no expert."

I follow him over and we take seats next to his family. Spirits seem high amongst everyone for the first time in days and I must admit, I like the feeling. It's a welcome one. One that gives me hope and feels refreshing. Makes me feel like there's a chance that we're all going to be okay. That all this will work out.

When we go to sleep that night on our blanket covered mattress of pine needles, I press myself against him and kiss his chest. Wrapped up against him like this floods my mind with memories of earlier when we were alone on the riverbank. And it stirs up that want all over again.

It must do the same for him because he presses against me and his hands slip underneath my shirt and I feel his hands tighten around my waist. "I seriously wish we were alone right now." He whispers in my ear. His breath tickles against my ear and I love it.

"I may never be able to lie next to you and just sleep ever again." I flirt as I trail a few more kisses against his chest. My fingers run along his waistband, just underneath his shirt.

"You're killing me, you know that?" He says as he rolls us so that he's lying over me. He kisses me long and hard and I have to stifle back a moan.

"Shhh." He teases as he rolls back off of me. "You're gonna get us busted."

"Then you'd better stop kissing me like that." I warn him.

"If my mother knew what I was thinking right now, she'd never let us share a blanket or bed again."

"Honestly, I'm a little surprised she hasn't minded so far." I confess. The thought had occurred to me on the first night we'd been out here.

"She's pretty good about letting me make my own decisions. Pretty sure she'd intervene though if she really knew what I wanted to do with you right now."

"Guess some things are better saved for alone time." I muse.

"Definitely so."

We manage to calm ourselves down and go to sleep. When we wake up the next morning, I'm still wrapped up in his arms and some of yesterday's bliss still lingers.

"Morning beautiful."

I bury my face in his chest and smile against him. I love waking up like this, with him smiling down at me. Sometimes it makes it hard to remember how I ever managed to sleep before without him with me.

"I'm gonna go clear snares. Come with me?" He asks as he gets to his feet.

I know he wants me to come with him but I feel like I could be more useful doing something else. I sit up. "Gale, I think I could be more useful around here. Maybe Rory could go with you and I could stay and help around camp."

In a flash, his face goes into a panic and the color drains from his face. He opens his mouth to speak but I cut him off.

"Actually, on second thought, I think I will come. I can help around camp when we get back." I say regretting my suggestion of him going without me. I get to my feet and hold out my hand for him to take it so we can go. He lets out a puff of air and takes it. The color in his skin turns normal again and his face softens. Relief I suppose.

As we walk, I wonder to myself how long this will last? Will he ever be able to be more than a few feet away from me again? Will he relax once things start to become routine and normal again? Or is he always going to freak out from now on? It worries me but I don't want to ask him about it. I'll give it some time for now, see if he settles down. I hope that he does.

**(Gale POV)**

My chest is tight and I panic instantly. My heart races and I'm about to argue for her to come with me when she cuts in and changes her mind. She'll come with me. It's absurd how much I can't handle having her out of my sight. I know that it is. Part of me hopes it fades and I can stop being a crazy person but I'm beginning to wonder if it ever will.

She, Rory and I clear and then reset snares in just under a couple hours. We find more berries to bring back. Not nearly as many as Madge found the other day but still enough to be worth it. We also find wild onions. They aren't worth a crap to eat but they work great at flavoring soups and stews. I used to bring them back for my mother. I figure we can make a soup today. Be a good change.

Back at camp we find that the men have had another successful run. Another massive pile of boards and bricks have amassed. It looks like they've brought back more clothing too because Prim and my mother seem to be hanging wet clothing from low branches to dry.

"We should see if any of those clothes will fit you. You've gotta be sick of wearing that old shirt." I tell Madge as we go over to where a stack of clothes sits neatly folded on the ground. These must be the ones she and I found yesterday that have been washed.

She sorts through them with me and I hold up a pair of pants that look small enough to fit her. "What about these? Think they'll fit?"

"I don't' know. I can try them." She says as she takes them from me. She unties her boots and pulls them off and then slips into the pants.

"They fit." She mumbles a bit as she stares down at them.

"What's wrong?" I ask.

"Nothing. It's just strange. I've never put on a pair of pants before. Other than pajamas anyway."

I'd forgotten that she wasn't allowed to wear pants. "Is that okay? We can see if there are any dresses in the stuff they brought back today."

"No, it's fine. Just a new experience is all."

"Well you look downright adorable." I tell her. She does. Though something about the pants make her look smaller than her dresses do. Makes her seem delicate and fragile.

"Any shirts?" She asks.

We find one. It's still large on her but it's better fitting than the dress of a shirt we got from Haymitch's closet. I take the shirt and add it to the laundry pile. Once it's washed up, one of the men here will be grateful to have it.

"I want to go explore. See what we can find. We're gonna need dishes and stuff." I tell Madge.

"You made a rule about no women going through the rubble. I can't go with you." She tells me.

Shit. We did decide that as a group. "Doesn't matter. Come with me."

"No. We can't do that. It sets a bad example. Let's just find a way to be useful around here."

I know she's right and as much as I want to go rummage through the stuff, I opt not too. Don't wanna go upsetting what few guidelines we've established as a group.

"We could build a stove out of those bricks. Make a way for cooking to be a little easier."

"Let's do it." She says as she stands up.

After we've picked a spot to build, we get started. Vick and Rory help too, bringing bricks over. After we have it mostly built up, I get an idea and go grab one of the smaller sheets of metal. I slide it to fit onto the back part of the stack of bricks. We can cook meats directly on the metal, like it was a pan.

"There. Now we can cook better for everybody." I say as I stand back and admire our work.

A few of our group come over and compliment our efforts. It's a good feeling to have everyone in camp feeling more positive. Happy people tend to make other people around them happy. It's sort of contagious that way and that's exactly what we need right now as we rebuild and create a new home for ourselves.

Some of the guys have begun building a sort of lean to shelter out of the boards. Reusing nails and hammering with large stones. There's been talk about what we will do if it rains. I hope that we can get decent shelters up before that becomes a problem. I have the shower curtain from Haymitch's house that can work as a tarp but that will only cover a couple of us. We're going to have to do something to make sure everyone and all of our stuff stays dry.

Some of the women get busy cooking on the stove, building a fire and boiling water.

The wild onions will help to make a good broth and the squirrels we got from our snares will make for good soup meat. We will need bowls of some sort though. I'm gonna have to go down and get some. There have to be salvageable dishes in some of those houses. But I can't take Madge down there. Not if we're following the rules about it not being safe for women and kids down there.

I tell Rory I need his help and then I take him and Madge over to the hillside overlooking the ruins of 13. Rory can sit here on the hill with Madge and I can go search the houses with one or two of the men from camp. If Madge stays right here on this hillside, I should be able to see her every time I step out of a house. And if Rory's with her, maybe I can handle the momentary separation. Maybe.

Madge swears to me that she'll stay right here and I know Rory will stay with her. I grab the first two guys I see nearby and together, the three of us head into the rubble. I fight against the tightness in my chest and have to let myself glance back at Madge at least five times. Each time I look back and see her, she waves, letting me know she's watching me too.

We manage to scrounge up a few old dented cans of food. The food will be expired and no longer edible but we can clean out the cans and use them as dishes. And we still have the few empty cans from the beans we started out with. We also find a metal pie tin and a few pieces of flatware. I luck up and find a bottle of antiseptic, never opened so likely still potent enough to work and a box of bandages in one of the houses and that's a fantastic find. We'll need that for sure. Suddenly, I remember Madge's feet. I need to check those, make sure there's no infection setting in.

We head back up the hill where Madge and Rory greet us. The relief I feel as Madge slips her arm around my waist as we make our way back to camp is unreal. I've seriously never felt like this before and I can't stand it. I hate how weak it makes me feel. Weakness isn't something I'm used to dealing with in myself.

The women who do most of our cooking manage to make a soup that feeds all of us and I get to go to bed with a full stomach tonight. I welcome the feeling as it isn't one I frequently get to have.

By the time we lay down for bed, I'm feeling pretty good about how things are starting to go in the right direction around camp. Morale is high amongst all of us and we seem to be making decent progress with pulling scrap materials together to build shelters.

As I lay with my arms wrapped around Madge, memories of the other day flood my mind. I'd finally given in, decided that we didn't need to wait any longer. Decided that I had to have her, totally and completely. And she felt the same. I hadn't expected being with her to be all that different than being with anyone else but it was. It really, really was. Being with her, the only girl I've ever really loved, made everything more intense and heated. Every touch, every movement, every kiss felt a thousand times more real than anything I'd felt before. I'd heard before that when you love someone, it's different but I never bought into all that. I do now though. Now I know exactly what it feels like to have the person you love most in the world give all of themselves to you. And there really isn't anything like it.

I'd even gotten called out on having pink cheeks afterwards as we'd made our way back to camp. I'd kept glancing over at her as we walked, unable to keep my eyes off of her and she'd noticed. She'd asked and I'd explained as best I could. I just loved her and that made what we'd done that much more incredible. I don't like to admit to her very often about what I was like with other girls before her but it was the only way I could explain it to her. Still, I'm not sure she'll ever be able to know what I mean. She's never been with anyone else so while I think she understands the words I said, I doubt she'll ever understand the way being with her made me feel.

I fall asleep feeling happy and relaxed. Camp life is good. My family is safe and sound. Madge and I are completely in love with one another.

I'm awoken the next morning though to someone kicking my boot and when I open my eyes fear shoots straight through me. There's a uniformed man, standing over me with a gun pointed at my head. Instinctively, I tighten my grip on Madge but I don't look over at her, afraid if I turn my head that this man will blow it off.

He barks at me to sit up so I do, still with my hand firmly grasping Madge's wrist. It's worse sitting up though. Once I'm sitting, I see behind him that every single person in our camp has a gun at their head. Fear stricken faces with guns pointed right at them. Even the kids. Posy. A man is holding a gun right against her freaking head! Tears are streaming down her face but she isn't making a sound. My mother, next to her, is breathing heavily and her jaw is locked tight. Ager and fear registering on her face and in her shoulders.

None of us move an inch. None of us know what's happening or who these people are and I have no idea what to do. I have no way to help. We don't have guns. Aside from a few knives, we're unarmed and they've got us matched man to man only their men are armed and ready to shoot.

I feel Madge's fingers slide through mine as the uniformed man yanks her to her feet. He spins her around and pushes her against the tree and searches her like he's looking for something. I'm dying. I want to jump up and help her, to tell this man to take his hands off of her but I don't know what to do. I'm just about to speak, to demand that they stop and tell us who they are and what they want when I feel myself being yanked to my feet and shoved against the tree.

My face now inches from Madge who is still pressed against the tree trunk, I finally get eye contact with her and I wish I hadn't. Her blue eyes have never looked so fearful before. And I've never felt so helpless.

_**A/N: So I've had a few guest reviews that asked questions but I can't respond directly to guest reviews so I thought I'd answer a few things here. **_

_**-Gale does not have the bow with him because the bow belongs to Katniss and is still in the tree back in the woods outside of 12.**_

_**-Katniss and Peeta really are dead. Sorry, it had to happen.**_

_**-This story isn't over yet! Lots more to still happen and lots more chapters to come! no idea if it'll end up being part of a trilogy or if there will be a need for sequel.**_

_**-Thank you everyone for all of your reviews! I love knowing what you all think about the story! Next chapter will post in a couple days!**_


	30. Chapter 30

**Chapter 30**

**(Gale POV)**

After they've patted each one of us down, at gunpoint, they order us to line up. I find the courage to ask what we all want to know.

"Who are you?" I choke out. I try to make my voice sound strong and solid but it comes out scared and shaky.

They don't answer. Not a one of them answer me. Hell, they don't even acknowledge me. I clear my throat and ask again, louder this time. Had they not heard me? Did my voice come out softer than I thought it did? Still no answer the second time around.

We're ordered to walk, single file following one of the men who leads Madge by the arm. I follow as closely behind her as I can. A gun pressed square in my back the entire time. We walk through the woods for awhile. Feels like half an hour, maybe a little longer. No talking the entire time. I do hear crying though. Very quiet crying. I can't look back behind me so I have no idea who it is.

Suddenly, the man leading the way stops and turns to look back at the line of us.

"You will all put these on." He orders as he pulls out a blindfold from his pocket. As he does, each of the other gunmen do as well.

"No. Before any of us puts on a blindfold, you have to tell us who you are and where in the hell you're taking us." I demand. This is too much.

"You will all put these on." He repeats as he holds his out to Madge.

"I said we aren't doing another thing until we get some answers!" I nearly shout.

The gunman holding me roughly shoves the blindfold into my hand and I feel the end of his rifle digging into my spine. "Do it now!" He orders, displeased with my lack of cooperation.

"Gale! Just do it!" Madge pleads. Her voice is desperate and tears run down her cheeks. She's looking right at me and her eyes are nothing short of desperation.

I hesitate but I can't not put it on. She's begging. Silently begging me. And I don't want anyone else to be hurt because of my refusal. And I have no clue what or who we're dealing with right now. So I do it. I put it on and all I can do is hope that I'm making the wisest decision.

Once we're all blindfolded, they order us to walk, holding onto our arms to guide us. For whatever reason, I count the steps in my head as I walk. I don't know if it will come in useful later or not but if they don't want me to see where I'm being taken, it must be because they don't want me to get back out of here. I intend to know how should I ever have the need or opportunity. I count turns too, keeping up with the left and the rights. I hear a noise I can't identify. Like smooth gusts of air. The terrain changes. We're no longer on dirt and grass. Concrete. I feel concrete. I try to keep up with my count but it's getting harder. We're making lots of turns. Every few steps I feel a turn. Almost as if they're intentionally trying to make us disoriented.

Finally, I hear a series of beeps. Six beeps. Then more of that air gust noise. We step inside a room. I know that's what it is because my boot catches on the door frame accidentally. And then I feel the hands on my arms pushing me down to sit in a chair. I hear us all sitting. The hands that have been guiding me, pushing me around leave me and I hear footsteps leave the room. Gust of air again. That gust must be some kind of door.

Then, I hear a voice. A woman's voice.

"You may remove your blindfolds now." She informs us.

I reach up and yank mine down. The light is bright and takes a moment for my eyes to adjust. When they do, I rapidly look around the room. My family is here. Madge is here. Everyone else seems to be here. Everyone looks terrified.

The room we're in is concrete on all sides except one. One side is all glass, floor to ceiling but it's smoky like glass and I can't see through it. The woman in the room is tall and stern looking. She wears a uniform similar to the men who took us but hers is more decorated. She wears a nametag of some kind but I'm not close enough to read what it says.

Once all of our blindfolds are removed, she speaks to us again. 'First, allow me to apologize for the manner in which all of you were brought here. Our methods here in 13 may not be the gentlest but they have proved necessary over the years."

13? This is 13? I turn to look at Madge and she shrugs her shoulders ever so slightly. I focus back on the woman before us.

"Before we can fully welcome you all into our community, we must do a little background work. For the safety and security our city requires, we must put all of you through an identification process to verify who each of you are and then later there will be a time for all of the questions I'm certain you each have."

So this is 13. And they want to know who we are. I feel like this should relax me a little. It sounds so standard the way she just said it all. But something in her tone makes the uneasy feeling in the pit of my stomach stick around.

"One by one, you will come up and allow us to verify your name and district of origin." She announces as a woman with a handheld computer comes in. It looks an awful lot like the computers they use when they check us in for the reapings. Is 13 linked to the Capitol somehow? Or do they just share similar technology?

I watch as they start on the other end of the room and prick each person's finger to draw a drop of blood, then scan it into the computer. It is exactly like at the reapings. They don't comment as they check everyone. They just scan and read whatever it is that comes up on the screen and then move on to the next person.

When they get to me, they pause but then move on to Madge. The check her as well and then share a glance with each other. I don't like the way they look. Like something is wrong with Madge.

"I'll have all of you wait here while I tend to some business for a moment. I should be back with you momentarily."

And that's it. They leave us all alone. I instantly move from my seat and I'm torn between going to Madge and my family. Madge makes it easy though. She gets up too, coming towards me and then together we move over to where my family is sitting. I pick Posy up and hold her in my lap. She's still crying and I'm certain she's wet her herself. I wrap one arm around her, hugging her against my chest and the other arm around Madge at my side.

"Gale, what do you think is going to happen?" My mother asks as she leans towards us, talking in a very low voice. "Do either of you have any idea what's going on?" She adds looking from me to Madge and then back to me.

"No." Madge tells her, shaking her head.

"I don't know what's going on but I'm not comfortable yet. She may be saying this is all precautionary but I don't know if I believe her." I tell them.

"At least we're together." Madge offers up.

"I know. And I hope it stays that way. I don't like how this is going right now."

We sit silently in fear and uncertainty until the woman comes back. Two of the uniformed men now accompany her.

"We have verified all of your identities and we will begin processing you through our intake system. Before that begins though, we do need to speak privately with two of you. If Miss Undersee and could please go with our officers for further verification processing, I'll begin processing the rest of you."

"No way. I'm not leaving my family." I tell her sternly. "You have questions for me or for Madge, you can ask them right here."

"I'm afraid that isn't possible. Not to worry though, you're family will be safe and sound waiting for you to rejoin them." She dismisses me.

I sit and stare at her for a moment and then look at Madge and then at my mother. I don't know what I should do.

My mother nudges me. "Just go with them. The two of you will be together and the rest of us will be together right here. It'll be fine." She tells me.

I look back at Madge. She has that fearful look in her eyes but stands to her feet anyway. Bravely. I do the same, handing Posy back to my mother. She cries and they have to force her to let go of my arm. I kiss the top of her head and promise her I'll be back. I firmly lock my hand with Madge's and we follow the officers out of the room.

We're lead down a hallway and after several turns, they stop and open a door. It's a small concrete, windowless room with nothing but a table and two chairs. One small light hangs from the ceiling. I start to go inside, assuming this is where they want us but one of the officers puts his arm out and stops me.

"Not you. This room is for Miss Undersee." He says flatly.

They want us in separate rooms? No freaking way! No! "You can't separate us." I tell him.

"You will be right next door. It's faster to process you if we do each of you simultaneously." The other officer explains as he guides Madge through the door. I don't like it. It feels wrong. Something feels very wrong. I need to stay with her. She turns back, tears brimming her eyes as the door closes between us. I stare at the door, wishing it open but the officers move me forward to the next room and I go inside, the door closing behind me. I notice right away that there isn't a doorknob on the inside. This door can't be opened by me. It's not a room but more of a cell. Like I'm being held prisoner.

The officers do not come in with us to our rooms and it makes me antsy. The small room makes me claustrophobic. I pace back and forth, anxious to get back to Madge and then to my family. After what feels like a lifetime, the door opens and the woman from earlier enters.

"Please, have a seat Mr. Hawthorne." She says as she takes a seat herself.

I sit.

"Have you any idea where you are?" She asks.

"Being held prisoner in 13 apparently." I retort.

She smirks. "You are not a prisoner. This is merely a security measure."

"Why do you need me secure? I believe it was your guys who held us at gunpoint, not the other way around." I feel anger boiling up and I fight to keep it restrained but I can't. This lady had my baby sister held at gunpoint and has the audacity to tell me I'm being singled out for security purposes?

"Again, my apologies for our necessary security measures. Now, how is it that you found your way to 13?"

"I will not answer your questions."

"I'd advise you to cooperate. The sooner we go through my list of questions, the sooner I can clear you for processing. Your girlfriend and you are flagged in our database. This is the reason all of this is necessary."

"Flagged?" I ask, not understanding.

"Meaning you have ties to the Capitol. My task at hand is to determine how tight those ties really are."

"I don't have any Capitol ties." I tell her. And I don't. I only ever went there one time and that was for the games.

"I beg to differ. You have a very public romance with the daughter of a Capitol official, do you not?"

"Her father was the mayor, not a Capitol official."

"Same difference as far as we are concerned." She says dismissively. "Now, how long have you and Miss Undersee known each other?"

"I've known her all her life. Everyone knows her."

"And how long have you been romantically involved with her?"

I feel anger rising up, about to boil over but I want to get out of here and back with everyone else so I use all my self control and try to hold the anger in as best I can and answer the question. "Since the start of the last games."

"And during this time, have the you become intimate with one another?"

That does it. I'm not answering any of her questions. Screw her. This is not her business. "I'm done with this. What Madge and I do or don't do has no bearing on the security of your little district. I'm not answering anything else about our relationship." I seethe at her through clenched teeth.

"We are merely attempting to determine the level of commitment between you. Please, allow me to word it another way. Have the two of you…" She starts but I interrupt.

"I will not answer personal questions about our relationship! It's none of your business!" I shout as I bang my fist on the table.

The door opens and a man comes in, hands the woman a note. She reads it and then glances up at me before standing, smoothing her hands over her uniform and leaving the room. The man sits down.

"I'll tell you the same as I told her. I won't sit here and spill all the personal secrets of my relationship with Madge. I won't do it." I tell him before he can even speak to me.

He lifts his hand as if to wave me off. "Not necessary. I have a feeling you can tell me what I need to know without us needing to become too personal."

I'm confused. Didn't she just tell me that it was necessary? Are they playing games with me? Then it hits me. Madge. They're talking to Madge in the other room. I bet she's already told them. That's why suddenly they don't need to hear it from me.

"We simply want to know what your level of support for the Capitol is. Can you help me out with that?" He says patiently.

"The Capitol? I hate them! I've hated them my whole life! They killed my best friend in the entire world and they bombed my home trying to kill the rest of us. They've kept me poor and starving while they sat back in the lap of luxury." I tell him.

"And is it true that growing up you ventured outside your district boundary fence?"

"It was all I could do to keep my family from starving to death." I say and then it hits me that he shouldn't know that about me. How does he know? Madge? Did she tell him?

"And your recent vacation to the Capitol, that was voluntary?"

"Vacation? I got a peacekeeper pulling me out of class saying he recommended I accept the invitation to be interviewed. It was hardly a vacation and it was barely what I'd consider voluntary. I was trying to help my best friend stay alive in the games."

"Well Mr. Hawthorne, you certainly have given me all the answers I was looking for. I feel confident that we can clear you for processing at this point. Come with me and I'll take you back to where the rest of your party is waiting." He says as he stands up and heads to the door.

"Wait! What about Madge? Isn't she coming back too?" I ask.

The door opens in front of him as if someone knew he wanted out. When we get in the hallway, no one is there so I assume it opens remotely from only God knows where. It also tells me someone was watching or listening. He turns to me as I follow him. "Miss Undersee is still undergoing questioning. We hope to be finished shortly."

Still undergoing questioning? What are they asking her? Are they accusing her of things? Are they scaring her? What is she telling them? My head spins with questions and worry. I don't like this one bit. It feels wrong. And I can't see her. That room she's in has no windows, not even on the door. How is she holding up in there alone? I follow the man back to where my family is but I can't relax yet. Not without Madge. Not when I don't know what's happening to her.


	31. Chapter 31

**Chapter 31**

**(Madge POV)**

I sit down at the table and swallow back the lump in my throat. It doesn't help. Tears spill down my face and I choke out a sob. I'm alone in the room for only a moment before the door opens and a man comes in. He's short and round, almost grandfatherly looking but he wears the same uniform as all the other people of 13 that we've seen so far so my instinct is to dislike him.

"Hello Miss Undersee. I just have a few questions for you so I can get you cleared for processing." He says with almost a smile as he takes a seat across the table from me. He also pulls a handkerchief out of his pocket and hands it to me.

I take and wipe my eyes with it. "Thank you." I say, clearing my throat. It was a gesture of kindness so perhaps he isn't as awful as everyone else has been so far.

"Certainly. May I have someone bring some water for you as well?"

"No, I'll be fine. Let's just get this finished so I can get back to my friends." I say.

"I'll make this move along as quickly as possible. Now, for the record, you are Madge Undersee of District 12?"

"Yes." I reply then add. "But 12 isn't there anymore. It was bombed by the Capitol."

"Yes, we are aware of the current state of 12." He nods. "And can you tell me where your father is? He was the mayor, correct?"

I feel tears forming again and quickly dab at my eyes and force myself to answer. "He was the mayor, yes. And I am not sure, but I believe he passed away in the bombings."

"You were not together when the bombings occurred?"

"No. I was at home. I assume he was in his office at the Justice Building."

"Assume?"

"I couldn't say for sure. But that's where I expect he was."

"At your home, just before the bombings, did you notice anything unusual?"

I stop and think, picturing it in my mind. I'd come straight home from the viewing. I'd collapsed in the floor right in the foyer. I'd cried until I'd passed out or fallen asleep. And then the bombings.

"I'm not sure. I didn't go further than the foyer. My friend was in the games, she'd just died, I was devastated and as soon as I was inside, I'd layed there crying on the floor. The next thing I knew, the bombs were dropping."

"And in your lifetime, how frequently did you travel to the Capitol?"

"Gosh, I don't know. Regularly."

"And what were the nature of these visits?"

"Mostly vacations with my father when I was younger. Occasionally for classes on etiquette or for shopping with my stylist. Most recently for interviews."

"And in addition to the etiquette classes, did you take any other classes while you were there?"

Why does he care? I wonder to myself. "Um, no, not that I can think of."

"So you never took the career placement courses?"

"No. I'm only 16. You take those at 17." I tell him. I am familiar with the couses he's referring to. They're standard for Capitol children when they turn 17. It helps place them in the career most suited for them. And while I'm not from the Capitol, it was also fairly standard for the children of the Mayors in each district to take these courses as well.

"Ah, yes, that is true." He says as if he'd forgotten.

"And recently, you were part of an interview on camera, in support of the games?"

"Yes. That was my last trip to the Capitol. My boyfriend Gale and I were invited because our friend Katniss was one of the tributes. Her mother couldn't travel so they took us instead."

"And how long have you been romantically involved with Mr. Hawthorne?"

This question surprises me a little and I know the surprise registers on my face. Before I can even answer, he speaks again, explaining his question.

"We're simply trying to establish your ties to the group you're with. It's our understanding that you are of, how shall I say this? You are of a different class than the rest of your party." He explains calmly.

"Oh. Well, Gale is someone I've known of for as long as I can remember but he and I were never close until recently. When our mutual friend was reaped, it sort of brought us together."

"And how is it that you came to 13?"

I hesitate because I don't know if I should tell him about the map or not. "We walked, along the river until we came to the ruins. We didn't know what else to do so we decided to set up camp and use the salvageable items from the remains of 13 to rebuild for ourselves."

"Yes, yes. That much we are already aware of. What I meant was, did you intentionally head in the direction of 13?"

"Yes and no. I mean, we held out hope that we would come upon 13 and that when we did, there would be life here waiting for us."

"Thank you very kindly for your cooperation Miss Undersee. I'll just get this paperwork over for approval now." He says as he stands and goes to leave.

"Wait, can I go back with everyone else now?" I ask. All I want right now is to be with everyone else. To be with Gale, assuming he's finished interviewing as well.

"Someone will come for you shortly. Shouldn't be long." He says and then he leaves.

I sink back in my chair and wait. This is all so strange. So very, very strange. So far, aside from the man who just interviewed me, the people of 13 have been gruff and unfriendly. Scary even. They held us at gunpoint and terrorized us by not identifying themselves. I don't know why Gale and I were singled out for additional interviewing. I don't know why I can't just go back and wait with everyone else. And most of all, I don't know why Haymitch would ever want to send us here. Did he know they were so militant like here?

I wait for what feels like a very long time. The room has no windows or clocks so I can't be sure but it feels as if I've been waiting more than a couple hours. I want to leave but can't because the door doesn't have a handle. So I sit and I wait.

Finally, when I feel like I couldn't possibly wait another minute before going completely crazy, the door opens and two of the uniformed men walk in.

"You can come with us." One of them says flatly. No expression on his face.

I get up, following them, thankfully to finally be out of that concrete box of a room and heading back to be with everyone else. I follow them down several hallways and not in the direction that we originally came from but I assume that I'm being taken to processing. And hopefully, that's where I'll be reunited with Gale.

**(Gale POV)**

"Where's Madge?" My mother asks leaning in closely once I'm back with them.

"They still have her." I say. I pull her off to the side, away from the kids.

"Ma, they said that me and Madge were flagged in the system as having ties to the Capitol and that's why we were singled out."

"Capitol ties?"

"Yeah, as in we're too close to the Capitol."

"What did they ask you?"

"Really weird stuff. Personal stuff about our relationship. Like really personal stuff. "

"Why would that matter to them?"

I shrug. "Don't know. I think they were trying to see how close I am with Madge. Ma, I really think they're gonna do something bad. To her. They're still talking to her. And they kept referring to her as a Capitol official's daughter as if she was really a Capitol citizen."

"Oh Gale."

"What happened here while I was gone?"

"Nothing. They brought us some food and water. They were nicer. A woman came through and explained they were setting up housing for all of us now. They've been coming and calling us out, one family at a time. But slowly."

"You think it's at all possible that this is really all just for security?"

"Maybe. It's possible that they're just overly careful about letting strangers in. Leery of the Capitol I suppose. It's possible something happened in the past. But it does seem harsh, even still."

"How's Posy?"

"Asleep. Finally. I had to rock her for a long time but it wasn't until after she ate that she finally went down. Those men waking her like they did completely did a number on her."

"I'm so sorry Ma. I had no idea this was what would be waiting for us once we got here." I apologize. I feel guilt creeping in. None of us would be here if it weren't for me leading us here.

"Don't do that. Don't go blaming yourself. Besides, it may all still be fine. It very well could be all a bunch of security hoops like they say."

I'm about to reply when the doors open again and more officers come in.

"Hawthorne family. We're ready for you."

"May we bring Primrose Everdeen with us? She's orphaned and we've taken responsibility for her." My mother asks one of the officers.

He taps something on his little computer and then nods, just once. "Fine."

We all stand and head towards the door, following the officers. I want to ask if Madge is coming but I know they won't tell me anyway so I don't ask.

I hope that she's okay. I need to see her and talk to her and really know that she's okay. I want to be able to hold her and tell her that I love and that I'm sorry about all of this. So incredibly sorry.

They lead us to a room with a woman sitting at a desk. She smiles when she sees us.

"Hello there Hawthorne family, welcome to 13. My name is Sandie and I'm going to get you all set up. Please, have a seat." She says with genuine warmth.

"Now, I show you all as a family of five but I see there are six of you here now. Is the five a clerical error?" She asks as she frowns, tapping her computer as if it's malfunctioning.

"No, it isn't an error so to speak. We've taken in Prim. Primrose Everdeen. She'll be part of our family now." My mother quickly explains.

"Ah yes, I see a last minute notation here in the computer of that. So let's see what we have for housing." She says as she punches away at her keyboard.

"Mam? If we could have housing for seven please. There's one more person in our family that should be coming through here soon. They're talking with her right now. Madge Undersee." I interrupt.

"Undersee? I don't see an Undersee on my check in list."

"What?" I ask, panic rising in my chest.

"I only have access to those who are cleared for processing. I'm sure they'll add her to the list very soon."

"But can she live with us? She doesn't have any other family left." I ask as I swallow down some tears.

"I'll make a note in the computer for preference in placing her with your family. There are several check in clerks, like myself, and she may not come to me but whoever checks her in will see the notation."

Something that almost feels like relief floods through me. This woman is kind and she's the first person I felt actually cared what I wanted. Maybe my mother was right. Maybe things do get better after you're finished dealing with security measures.

"Now, I have a three bedroom apartment unit. It could be a little crowded though. Are you alright sharing rooms?" She asks.

I almost laugh. Can we share a three bedroom apartment? Back in the Seam, we shared a one bedroom house that used a curtain divider. Three bedrooms is hardly even fathomable.

"We can make do just fine with whatever is available." My mother answers.

"Wonderful. Now, in your apartment, you'll find all the necessities such as toiletries, linens, etc. Someone will be by with a clothing cart and you'll be given uniforms."

"Uniforms?" I ask.

"Yes, here in 13, we all wear grey clothing. It's just a standard we established. All clothing is provided. There is also a handbook in each apartment. You'll be expected to read through it and familiarize yourselves with it. It'll tell you most everything you need to know about what to expect from life in 13." She says as she hands us badges.

I look down at mine and see it has my name and my picture. When did they get my picture? I look back up to ask her and it's as if she's reading my mind.

"Our computer system accesses all of the Capitol data, that's how we obtained the photos. Please wear your badges at all times for identification purposes. They also function as keycards. Wave them in front of any door you want to open and if you have clearance, it'll open. Should you loose them or break them, you come back her and see me for a re-issue. But trust me, it's a pain if you loose them. Paperwork like you wouldn't believe." She smiles and folds her hands in front of her on the desk. "And most of, welcome to 13. I hope you'll all be very happy here."

We thank her and she buzzes for someone to come and take us to our new apartment. I feel better now that we've met her and she was actually welcoming and kind but I won't be able to be okay until I see Madge.

I'm blown away when we get to our apartment. It's so new looking. And spacious. Plain, but clean. It's one bathroom with a shower stall, sink and toilet. One bedroom with two bunk beds and a dresser. The other two bedrooms each have two single twin beds and a smaller dresser. There's a very small sitting area when you first enter the apartment that has three smallish looking armchairs and a tiny table with a lamp. And the handbook Sandie told us would be here. There aren't any windows and the walls are all concrete, as are the floors. Why haven't we seen any windows yet?

"Wonder why there's no windows?" I say aloud.

"It's so strange. Another form of security?" My mother offers up with a puzzled look.

"Ma, I hope it's okay about Madge staying with us. I know I didn't talk to you about it but I can't leave her all alone. I just can't."

She closes her eyes and subtly shakes her head. "Gale, at this point, all I want is for us to be together, Prim and Madge included."

"Thank you." I tell her.

"I do think separate rooms will be in order though." She adds with brow raised.

I nod.

We get all the rooms picked out. Me, Vick and Rory take the room with the bunks, each of them calling dibs on top bunks. Posy and my mother take one of the twin beds rooms. Prim and Madge can have the other room. Truthfully, I want Madge with me but I know my mother won't be okay with that set up for long term. And just having her here will be good, even if we can't share a bed. But where is she already?

I hear a knock at the door and my heart leaps into my throat. It's her. They've processed her and cleared her of being any kind of Capitol threat! I go over to the door and open it with my badge, ready to swoop her into my arms and hug her like I never have before. But my heart quickly sinks as soon as I realize it isn't Madge. It's the clothing cart coming by to let us select our clothing. I slump against the door frame, defeated and worried. Where is she?


End file.
